Challenges of Educators in the Context of Education Reform and Unrest: A Study of Southern Border Provinces in Thailand

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to identify challenges of educators faced with education reform and violent unrest that has taken place in five Southern provinces of Thailand, as well as leadership characteristics that emerged in this context. Participants were 21 educators from primary schools in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun provinces. A purposeful selection was employed for participant recruitment of the study. Data collection methods were semi-structured interviews and related official document analysis. The study revealed that challenges of educators related to education reform were managing curriculum, increasing students' reading competency, coping with work overloads, and managing limited budgets. Challenges related to social unrest were dealing with instructional management, coping with feelings, and ensuring safety. Leadership characteristics that emerged in response to these challenges were becoming patient, dedicated, and adaptive; guiding changes in instructional methods; and building collaborations with related stakeholders.

Educational Leadership During Times of Armed Conflict: Thailand’s Lessons for Somalia

“…Schwartz (2015) argued that this context was appropriate in that as a consequence of the collapse of the Somali state during a period of more than 26 years of continuous internal conflict, the vast majority of Somali educational institutions are privately-run (Abdi, 1998;Abdinoor, 2008). Responding to the case through this lens had an added benefit of allowing cogent reference to previous research on educational leadership in Southern Thailand, a region which has also suffered from an almost six-decades long Islamic insurgency that has also targeted secular educational institutions for attack (Brooks, 2015;Liow, 2010;Maxcy, Sungtong, & Nguyen, 2010;Nitjarunkul, Suntong, & Placier, 2014;Othman & Wanlabeh, 2012). Schwartz (2015) asserted that this was particularly important in that no research that directly addresses educational leadership in the Somali context could be found that could be applied to the case outlined by Aden (2015).…”

“…The authors suggest that Somali universities should also heed the advice of Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) and provide preparation for the unique challenges of educational leadership in the context of armed conflict. Likewise, as Carr-Hill (2015) documented, the irrelevance of the curriculum of formal schools to the nomadic pastoralists who compose 65 percent of the Somali population could be addressed by following Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier's (2014) advice to localize instructional methodology.…”

“…It was found that for educators in this region, armed conflict brought challenges concerning instructional management, feelings of fear and low morale, and concerns over the security of property and staff; furthermore, the educators reported that the conflict brought challenges in building trust both between school staff and between the schools and their communities (Nitjarunkul, Sutong, & Placier, 2014). Certain leadership characteristics displayed by the principals of these schools that were identified by Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) could be of use in a Somali context include: the use of patience to reinforce positive behavior, advocacy for child-centered and culturally sensitive instructional methods, and collaboration with regional stakeholders. Furthermore, Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) argued that due to the complexities inherent in educational leadership and change within the context of armed conflict, educational leadership preparation in Thai schools of education needed to do more to prepare future educational leaders in managing the emotional and psychological toll the insurgency has had upon educators and communities located in southern Thailand.…”

“…Certain leadership characteristics displayed by the principals of these schools that were identified by Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) could be of use in a Somali context include: the use of patience to reinforce positive behavior, advocacy for child-centered and culturally sensitive instructional methods, and collaboration with regional stakeholders. Furthermore, Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) argued that due to the complexities inherent in educational leadership and change within the context of armed conflict, educational leadership preparation in Thai schools of education needed to do more to prepare future educational leaders in managing the emotional and psychological toll the insurgency has had upon educators and communities located in southern Thailand. The authors suggest that Somali universities should also heed the advice of Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) and provide preparation for the unique challenges of educational leadership in the context of armed conflict.…”

“…Furthermore, Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) argued that due to the complexities inherent in educational leadership and change within the context of armed conflict, educational leadership preparation in Thai schools of education needed to do more to prepare future educational leaders in managing the emotional and psychological toll the insurgency has had upon educators and communities located in southern Thailand. The authors suggest that Somali universities should also heed the advice of Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier (2014) and provide preparation for the unique challenges of educational leadership in the context of armed conflict. Likewise, as Carr-Hill (2015) documented, the irrelevance of the curriculum of formal schools to the nomadic pastoralists who compose 65 percent of the Somali population could be addressed by following Nitjarunkul, Suntong, and Placier's (2014) advice to localize instructional methodology.…”