Minister Narumon leads the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNESCO to enhance "Education for the Environment," promoting 433 green vocational schools and launching a youth idea competition to develop digital and AI skills for teachers and students.
On 14 Jan 2026 at 10:00 AM, Professor Dr. Narumon Pinyosinwat, Minister of Education, discussed cooperation on advancing environmental education management (Greening Education) and developing Thai education personnel with Ms. Soohyun Kim, Director of UNESCO Bangkok, at Damrongrachanuphap Room, Rajavallop Building, Ministry of Education.
Professor Dr. Narumon said the Ministry of Education places great importance on environmental education or Greening Education, especially driving green vocational schools (Green TVET), which are central to sustainable development. Currently, the initiative is well-prepared, with 433 learning centers and educational institutions participating, and an action plan has been established.
"To ensure effective progress in environmental efforts, the Ministry and UNESCO plan to organize a competition to gather green ideas directly from students and youth. This approach allows children to think and propose their own solutions rather than simply receiving policies from the central authority, fostering a deeper sense of ownership and awareness among the youth," said Professor Dr. Narumon.
Professor Dr. Narumon added that for human resource development, the Ministry plans to propose sending officials to work at UNESCO offices in Bangkok and Paris to gain international experience and bring back knowledge to develop the country. They also discussed collaboration on enhancing digital and AI competencies for teachers and students to keep pace with technology, as well as cooperation on Ocean Literacy to build youth knowledge about marine resources.
Ms. Soohyun Kim expressed admiration and support for Thailand’s vision, especially the Green TVET model, which exemplifies turning policy into practical action. She welcomed supporting Thailand through the Global Skills Academy project to develop teachers' AI skills and endorsed the Secondment project proposal to send Thai personnel abroad for international experience.
She also emphasized the significance of 2026 as the 65th anniversary of Thailand-UNESCO relations, acknowledging the continuous support from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for UNESCO’s work. She congratulated Thailand on having new member cities join the Learning Cities network, reflecting Thailand’s strong role on the global education stage.
