Improving access to high-quality teaching and learning materials in Thailand's state schools

Background

In 2016, Thailand’s Ministry of Education (MoE) announced plans for a more rigorous textbook approval framework to raise the standard of curriculum materials available for state schools. The new approval framework was intended to be challenging and to remove low-quality materials from the market.

Cambridge’s response to the challenge

Cambridge worked with the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) publishing team between 2016 and 2018 to provide capacity development through a period of curriculum reform and system change. To support the publishing team in preparing for the new review criteria, Cambridge:

• Conducted an in-depth needs analysis to understand current strengths and areas for improvement
• Delivered a programme of capacity development training based on these findings, including approaches to improve quality and consistency in the authoring phases and improvements to make the publishing process more efficient
• Developed a subject-specific, research-backed guidelines for creating high-quality textbooks in line with the new approval framework.

Impact

IPST’s textbooks achieved MoE approval and sold more than 83 million copies to date, far exceeding expectations.

Cambridge’s contribution has greatly changed the way the Institute for the Promotion of Science and Technology produces new learning/teaching materials in a very positive way.

- Alongkot Maiduang, Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, 2021