The Minister of Education has initiated the establishment of subdistrict-level education committees, expected to be completed by October, to address significant changes in the educational context, especially declining birth rates in the country.
On 20 September 2026, at Khum Phu Kham Hotel in Chiang Mai Province, Minister of Education Prasert Chantrawongthong chaired the opening of the northern regional workshop titled “The Power of Education Committees to Elevate Thai Schools Across All Regions.” The event included education executives, representatives from education committees, and related agencies.
Minister Prasert stated that this meeting highlights the importance of collaboration among school directors, district education office directors, and education committees. These groups form a crucial mechanism for driving and enhancing education quality locally. The Ministry aims to strengthen this mechanism to effectively resolve problems and improve education.
“Elevating education quality requires participation from all sectors. Although Thailand’s ranking rose to 53 in the PISA 2025 international student assessment, scores in mathematics, science, reading, and other indicators remain below the OECD standards. This presents a challenge that demands mobilizing energies from all sectors to advance Thai education and prepare learners to face a changing global context,” Minister Prasert said.
Minister Prasert added that the educational landscape has changed greatly, particularly due to declining birth rates and improved transportation between villages. This prompted the idea to establish networks of education committees at the subdistrict level, moving beyond committees operating only at individual schools, which may limit resource integration and educational management cohesion in the area.
“I want to unify efforts at the subdistrict level to enable shared resource use and connect policy implementation more effectively. Currently, the formal establishment announcement for subdistrict education committees is being drafted, expected to be completed by October to enable concrete progress. This approach will provide a clearer overview of local education management, especially for small schools. Local areas will collectively consider how to ensure quality and maximize resource efficiency. Once these networks are in place, all parties can discuss ways to manage education locally. Initially, the proposal is for the local administrative organization chief, an elected representative of the people, to serve as chairperson to link education management closely with community life and quality,” Minister Prasert explained.
Minister Prasert further reported that the new per-student budget allocation formula has been finalized and will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval. The new formula will align funding with the actual conditions of each area to increase educational opportunities, particularly for small schools, which may receive additional funding to help create opportunities and reduce resource constraints.