Bangkok, The Minister of Education has presented a vision to push for ‘3 accelerations, 3 reductions, 3 increases’ as a national agenda to enhance the development of Thai early childhood children.
Pol. Gen. Phermpoon Chidchob, Minister of Education, announced the vision of the working guidelines for driving the policy proposals ‘3 Accelerate, 3 Reduce, 3 Increase to Promote Early Childhood Development in Crisis’ as a national agenda as follows: 1. The Office of the Basic Education Commission is responsible for coordinating the preparation of a plan to drive the policy proposals for early childhood development using the website ‘Early Childhood Thailand’ as a medium to be a source of research for those who are interested. 2. The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and Ministry of Public Health, which are the 4 main ministries, together with Bangkok and other agencies, drive the policy proposals ‘3 Accelerate, 3 Reduce, 3 Increase’. 3. The Subcommitt
ee on Communication for Early Childhood Development of the Early Childhood Development Policy Committee, together with network partners and the private sector, create a proactive communication and public relations plan to lead to a change in the mindset of people in society in taking care of early children properly through the Main Campaign ‘Increase quality time, play well, hug well, tell well’ and the Second Campaign ‘No screens before 2 years old, join in creating discipline, no violence’.
Pol. Gen. Phetphun said that in this national academic conference, he believes that the knowledge, opinions, and suggestions gained from the conference will be very beneficial to driving and developing young children in the future to be strong and good citizens. In terms of early childhood development, 3 accelerate, 3 reduce, 3 increase, he has added a little more to the process, which is to think outside the box because he sees it as another way to view the world with awareness in an era of various technologies. As for
the case of foreign countries that have enforced laws prohibiting children from using mobile phones until the age of 8, he thinks that in Thailand, we may have to try it first, but it probably won’t go as far as having to enforce the law. Emphasize communication and understanding, along with adults around children who must be good examples, starting with reducing the use of mobile phones in public because children will be able to see it as an example.
Dr. Atthapol Sangkhawasi, Secretary-General of the National Education Council (NECT), said that from the COVID-19 crisis that has passed for more than 2 years, early childhood development centers have had to close and adjust learning to online formats, resulting in early childhood children falling into a learning regression crisis. Therefore, we emphasize the policy of “3 acceleration, 3 reduction, 3 increase”, which the knowledge and opinions in this meeting will lead to the preparation of the education plan and prepare to submit it to the Cabinet resolution.
In addition to the aforementioned measures, there must be a plan to set the standards of early childhood teachers, as well as buildings and places that affect learners to be of quality and practically applicable, such as how parents will take care of their children in an era where technology plays an increasingly important role, starting with stopping the use of mobile phones in children before the age of 2 because research has shown that it affects development and causes aggressive behavior in children, etc.
In addition, the event also included an exhibition of academic presentations and innovations related to promoting early childhood development.
Source: Thai News Agency