Bangkok: Narumon Pinyosinwat, the Education Minister, has announced the closure of 990 schools as a result of ongoing clashes at the Thai-Cambodian border. Schools that remain unaffected by the conflict are being repurposed as shelters for those displaced by the tensions.
According to Thai News Agency, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) is actively preparing learning bags for distribution at evacuation centers to minimize the disruption to education. Narumon emphasized that the reopening of schools in the affected areas is contingent upon confirmation from local authorities regarding safety. As of yesterday, OBEC reported the closure of over 600 schools, but the number has now escalated to 990. Schools in safer zones have been designated by OBEC as temporary shelters, and there have been no reports of physical damage to school properties.
Narumon detailed that decisions on the duration of school closures are being made in consultation with local security forces and through continuous discussions with the Ministry of Education’s administrators. Vocational schools are contributing by deploying teams to the border provinces to set up vocational kitchens for evacuees, having previously assisted in the South.
In terms of educational continuity, Narumon assured that plans are in place to compensate for lost instructional time through on-the-job worksheets and general on-site instruction. If necessary, schools will transition to online learning, with the format being determined by each school’s existing platforms. Furthermore, OBEC’s distribution of learning bags aims to ensure that displaced children continue to receive education during this period of uncertainty.