Education Minister Prasert collaborates with the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) to help out-of-school children return to learning, promotes the One District One Scholarship (ODOS) initiative, adjusts per-student budgets to assist poor children, and expands the 'Teachers Who Care' project to local areas to improve education.
On 9 Nov 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Prasert Chantraruangthong, Minister of Education, held discussions with Professor Wutthisan Tanchaichai, Chair of the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) Executive Board, Mr. Kraiyos Pattarawat, EEF Manager, and senior Education Ministry officials at the Ratchawanlop Meeting Room, Ministry of Education. They set directions for cooperation to reduce inequality and expand educational opportunities for all Thai children.
The meeting discussed six key agendas to advance Thai education:
1. Advance Thailand Zero Dropout Plus to find and assist out-of-school children back into learning, while promoting Thailand's approach toward ASEAN Zero Dropout.
2. Continue the One District One Scholarship (ODOS) program in both general and vocational education, support overseas study scholarships for cohorts 3–4, and prepare language training for cohorts 5–6.
3. Reform education budget allocation by applying the Equity Index and collaborating with New Zealand to develop per-student funding that effectively supports poor and disadvantaged children.
4. Enhance research to improve education quality by promoting the establishment of the Thailand Educational Research Association (THERA), joining the global research network (WERA), and cooperation between the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA) and EEF to develop school quality assessment systems.
5. Expand the 'Teachers Who Care' project to train and develop teachers to return and work in their home schools, addressing teacher shortages in remote areas.
6. Develop vocational workforce skills for the global labor market by upgrading skills aligned with industry needs, especially investments from China and Europe.
Mr. Prasert praised EEF’s achievements, especially Thailand Zero Dropout, which is being promoted at ASEAN education minister forums and the Global Education Meeting with UNESCO. He emphasized three key strategies: elevating successful programs into permanent mechanisms backed by law and budget, incorporating the Equity Index into the draft National Education Act, shifting from addressing dropout cases to prevention through data and flexible learning, and expanding international cooperation under the principle 'All for Education.'
"Every child must have the opportunity to learn, regardless of their situation or location. We must connect data and collaboration across all sectors to identify children in need, provide targeted help, and create suitable learning options for each child," said Mr. Prasert.
Professor Wutthisan affirmed that EEF is ready to support the Ministry of Education in scaling successful projects based on data and research. They will coordinate with government, private sector, local authorities, and civil society to build an education system that sustainably meets the needs of vulnerable children.
This cooperation aims to create an education system that not only helps children return to learning but also prevents them from dropping out in the first place, ensuring all Thai children have access to quality education and the opportunity to shape their own futures, based on the principle "All for Education."
