Education Council Uses OECD Data to Shape Thai Policy
Thailand's Office of the Education Council held a workshop with OECD, UNICEF, and British Council representatives to analyze international education data for policy reform. The meeting focused on using OECD's Education at a Glance report and PISA results — which showed improved Thai scores — to guide budget, workforce, and curriculum planning. Officials emphasized evidence-based policy and cross-sector collaboration to raise education quality nationwide.
The Office of the Education Council (OEC) convened a workshop on November 5 at the Royal River Hotel in Bangkok to advance Thailand's education system through analysis of international assessment data, notably the OECD's Education at a Glance (EAG) report. Dr. Pichet Phophakdee, Secretary-General of the Education Council, presided over the opening alongside IPST Director Asst. Prof. Dr. Thiraedej Chiasukkul and representatives from OECD, UNICEF Thailand, British Council Thailand, and education personnel.
Dr. Pichet stated that the OEC is the primary agency for setting education policy, aligned with the Education Minister's directive that planning must be evidence-based and the 'All for Education' policy requiring all sectors to contribute data. The workshop invited OECD, UNICEF, British Council, and relevant agencies to exchange education data, particularly OECD data covering member and non-member countries worldwide, plus research findings. The OEC will compile this information for education planning.
Thailand is an OECD associate member and pursuing full membership. Despite not yet being a full member, Thailand participates in PISA, the standardized test reflecting national education quality. The 2025 PISA results showed improved average scores, reflecting cross-sector collaboration.
Dr. Pichet noted discussions covered education investment — per-student subsidies, education spending, and teacher salaries — with the Ministry of Education and government prioritizing these areas. The National Education Bill is currently under review by the Council of State before submission to the Cabinet. The OEC will disseminate OECD and global education data widely and use it for policy, budget, and workforce planning. Teacher staffing has not been reduced, as the government recognizes teachers' crucial role, especially in small schools.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Thiraedej explained that Education at a Glance (EAG) is an annual OECD report providing international education statistics. Thailand recently joined the data exchange, revealing interesting insights into Thailand's position relative to neighboring countries for targeted development. IPST is particularly interested in...
