Flashermac Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 THE NATION 20 July 2006 Thai kids rank 'below average' on world IQ ranking The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of Thai children, between 87 and 88 points, remains in the "low average" category when ranked internationally, Vice Minister for Education Watchara Phanchet said yesterday. He was speaking at a seminar on how to boost the intelligence of Thai children and was citing a survey conducted in 2002. "We have to develop children both intellectually and physically because they are our country's future," Watchara said. More than 800 educators, health professionals, parents and representatives of a network for disadvantaged children attended the seminar held by the Mental Health Department's Rajanukul Institute. The 2002 survey found only 80 per cent of children under five years old had normal visual, muscular and touch-perception development, he said. It also found the average IQ of children between six and 12 was 87 points. The average IQ for children between 13 and 18 was 88, the study found. In a 2001 survey, children from six to 12 were found to have low levels of patience, discipline, concentration and self-reliance, while those between 13 and 18 had insufficient creativity, analytical ability, conscience, problem-solving skills and emotional control. Watchara said these problems were the result of parents leaving teachers in charge of their children's development. Teachers are not trained to maximise children's potential at the right age, he said. "We plan to raise Thai children's [average] IQ to at least 100 by 2008," he said. Mental Health Department chief ML Somchai Chakraphan said those with IQs in the 70 to 79 point range were in a borderline group as an IQ below 70 points signalled mental disability. In a bid to boost children's IQ, Somchai said his department last year launched a five-year intellectual development plan for children in 20 provinces. "We have passed on useful know-how to nursery and kindergarten teachers," he said. Somchai said mothers could boost their children's IQ by eating nutritious food during pregnancy and stimulating their children's development at the right age. "Some parents tend to carry their babies in their arms all the time out of concern that they might fall and hurt themselves. "That's not right. If it's time for your babies to start crawling or running, let them do so because it encourages their development," he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Hi, Somehow I am not surprised. BTW, how exactly is are they gonna raise the average IQ by 10% in just 2 years? Maybe they should have a closer look at the schooling system here? Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Precisely! I've seen what goes on at all levels of the education system in Thailand. At the primary and secondary levels, the students are ususally DISCOURAGED from thinking. Students simple absorb what the teacher says like a sponge and then regurgitate it at exam time. So are they going to change the whole system in just 2 years??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lembeh Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 >how exactly is are they gonna raise the average IQ by 10% in just 2 years? Come on. You have been here long enough to know the answer to that one: Make the test easier. -j- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Nah, you know better than that. Give the kids the answers before the test! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 maybe Thailand could be a regional hub for IQ ? Cheers Coss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Build the test centre in a swamp with no practical means of access, then declare it to be a new province??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lembeh Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 You see, and who said Thai's are not creative? *lots* of ways they can cheat. OK class the answers are A, B,B,A. Recite aftr me.... However, there is something f*cked up in what they are doing (as always). How can you have a *national* average of 88? by *definition* on IQ tests the *average* score is 100. It does not matter what the *actual* score is: the *average* is defined as 100. So, they may be comparing to other populations, which in its self gives problems. As far as I am aware, there is really no such thing as a "culture free" IQ test (and given that many people argue that IQ tests measure nothing more than the abilty to do IQ tests!) one wonder what is going on here. Moreover as IQ is supposed to measure some sort of "innate" ability, I am not sure that changing the educational system would result in higher IQ scores (as IQ tests are not supposed to measure educational "ability"). However, having said that few, if any would argue that the educational system *does* need to be dramatically overhauled. All in all another facet of Thailand that does not make sense. What we *really* know to make sense of this is - who will be making money off it? *Then* it will all come clear.... -j- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Hi, "Come on. You have been here long enough to know the answer to that one: Make the test easier." Hahahahahahaha, yeah, should have guessed that one Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playtheblues Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 "BTW, how exactly is are they gonna raise the average IQ by 10% in just 2 years?" By listening to music by Mozart. Empirically documented. Pop music listening on the other hand makes one dumb (except maybe for music by Paul McCarty) Btw most members here are pop fans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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