UNICEF recently issued a statement urging Thailand to invest in its children’s education for the socioeconomic prosperity of the country. The humanitarian organization’s call for action was rooted in a report which revealed that many Thai students drop out of school midway. Kyungsun Kim, director of UNICEF Thailand, expressed concern at the number of young people without educational qualifications or jobs (NEETs).
Kim pointed out that Thailand is undergoing multiple changes caused by its ageing population, digitization, automation and the advancement of artificial intelligence. Therefore, children need to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to the growth of the economy. The joint research with the Ministry of Labour and Chulalongkorn University, reported by Bangkok Post, revealed that despite more kids enrolling in the system, 2 percent of those dropped out. Furthermore, the number of NEETs who are gainfully employed dropped from 4.8 million in 2011 to 2.7 million in 2021.
Another worrying factor was that about 70 percent of students who left school didn’t have any succession plans in place. Kim also noted that women, people with disabilities, migrant workers and kids from low-income backgrounds, in particular, are vulnerable when it comes to receiving an education and finding employment. According to her, “investing in education is crucial to the socioeconomic prosperity of the country”, so UNICEF hopes this research will convince the government to take immediate action.
Rattiya Phulaor, deputy dean of the College of Population Studies at Chulalongkorn University, proposed measures to tackle the NEET problem. He suggested that a NEET integrated plan and monitoring system need setting up to provide timely assistance, as well as a centralized database to support the project, such as expanding the idea of education to include working-based education.
He further suggested establishing a national committee for NEET to guide policy implementation, as well as increasing the number of career counsellors in public employment services and shoring up the quality of education.
UNICEF is a United Nations organization that works to provide humanitarian relief and protect the rights of children worldwide. Since 1946, UNICEF has been working to underprivileged and vulnerable children and emphasize the importance of protection and education. UNICEF has done a lot of work to support access to education, provide healthcare services, protect children from violence and exploitation, create economic pathways for young people, promote access to safe water and sanitation, and reduce the impact of disasters.
Kyungsun Kim is the Director of UNICEF in Thailand. She has a long career in the public sector focusing on social and economic policy and geographic information systems (GIS). Among her most notable works is the Thailand National Living Standard Project, which provides inclusive policies and support mechanisms to help people affected by HIV/AIDS and other vulnerables. Kim also worked with the United Nations Development Programme to develop a strategy for poverty alleviation in Thailand. She is highly dedicated to her work and is motivated by the development and progress of her nation.
