This dissertation focused on the formation of the 1974 education reform policy within the political context in Thailand. It offers an historical account of the dialectical process of change in the political climate and the educational system. Also, it explored the dynamic relationship between the two entities in terms of (a) educational influence on the political system since the early 1960s, and (b) the political effects on education policy making during 1973-1977. / In the early 1970s, the educational system experienced serious problems such as inequality of educational quality and opportunity, educated unemployment, and non-functional literacy. The last change in education occurred over a decade earlier with the promulgation of the 1960 Education Plan which was part of the effort to modernize the country. These problems brought about a concern among educators to reform the educational system during the late 1960s. / At the same time, the political system was characterized by stagnation: the military had ruled for most of the democratic years since the termination of absolute monarchy in 1932. By 1972, while other societal systems were moving toward "development," this unchanged political system began to stir public dissatisfaction that culminated in October 1973 when the military regime was finally overthrown. The incident marked the beginning of the liberal movements. Change was the main theme of the public demands during the democratic years (1973-1976). / The education reform policy was announced in 1974. The study found that political factors accounted for the reform on two levels. First, it provided the climate that encouraged changes. Second, it determined both the direction of the policy and the success of the policy formation process. Such influence of politics was also evident in the making of the 1977 National Education Plan which was the final stage of the reform policy formation process. That is, the conservative political climate in 1976 delayed the Plan enactment and altered some of its liberal content. The research suggests that the factors affecting the policy changes include not only the political context but also the linkage between educators and politicians, the leadership, and the bureaucratic structure. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-12, Section: A, page: 4351. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75984 |
| Contributors | NAKORNTHAP, SILAPORN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 370 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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