‘Akkharanat’ climbed the mountain to listen to problems faced by marginalized teachers and students, agreeing on reducing redundant work to allow teachers to fully focus on teaching.
On 17 May 2026, Mr. Akkharanat Kankittinan, Deputy Minister of Education, traveled over two hours into the highlands to visit and hear issues from teachers and students at Phalang School, Muang District, Chiang Rai. This remote school only gained electricity about one month ago. Due to difficult terrain and access, during this visit, Mr. Akkharanat personally taught students in grades 1 to 4 closely, covering reading, writing, and addition. He found that the students showed good development, reading and writing skills comparable to urban schools.
At the same time, he stressed concern for the safety and quality of life of teachers in remote areas who face limitations in travel, public utilities, and educational resources. “Education should not be determined by geography. Whether children live on a mountain or in the city, they must have equal opportunities and quality education. This is the core of reducing inequality that we must make real.” Mr. Akkharanat said.
He added that the Ministry of Education will accelerate development of support systems for remote schools to raise learning quality to a consistent national standard. Regarding the recent NIDA Poll showing that most people still trust the Thai education system but want the government to reduce redundant paperwork and teachers' workload as well as hidden costs burdening parents, he said the poll clearly reflects the public’s trust alongside a desire for change. “We must reduce unnecessary burdens on teachers so they can fully focus on teaching and cut hidden costs to make education truly accessible.”
“This visit marks another important step in driving policies to reduce educational inequality, aiming for Thai education quality to be equally standardized everywhere, near or far, in a concrete way.” Mr. Akkharanat concluded.