Fully Booked

Few have done more to shake up the Thai education system than Khunying Kasama Varavarn, as John Rogerson discovers

As a young girl who loved books, Khunying Kasama Varavarn always harboured the ambition to become a writer for children. And while her career didn’t take the path she’d planned, there is no doubt that Kasama has done more to bring books and learning to people of Thailand than any other woman. She has dedicated her life to education and as the first female permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education her influence has been felt far and wide.

Kasama’s own lust for learning came from her mother, who read to her as a child, and who still beats her daughter at Scrabble. But her education drew her to the US to attend Harvard University, where she studied education, completing her doctorate in 1979. This American sojourn left an impression on Kasama, who saw how an education that promoted independent thought and classroom interaction could ensure more wellrounded students than Thailand’s traditional rote learning had done. “It was inspiring to me to see that everyone’s views were heard and were part of any discussion,” she recalls. “To me this was part of how a proper democratic system should work, and the process encourages independent thinking.”

On her return to Thailand, she was invited to join the Ministry of Education’s Thailand Literacy project, which involved visiting every province in the country, finding out how people of different ages study and learn. “Lifelong learning has to be practical and must meet the needs of people on a day-to-day basis and in non-formal situations,” she says. “If people don’t enjoy the process, they’ll be less inclined to continue with it.” To keep the reading habit going, the project set up centres around the country where people could go and read newspapers and books.

Civil servants often find themselves acting at the whim of the current administration, so Kasama made a point of “turning every task into a meaningful mission.” She ensured her team would learn from every policy that was implemented and communicate with other educational groups. This ensured that whatever happened politically, there would always be well-informed people who could deal with new challenges. And one area that always needed reform in Thailand’s education system was provision for students with special needs. “Many children will falter without specialist instruction,” she says “Not everyone responds to traditional teaching methods, but this doesn’t mean they are any less able.”

Seeing that the use of English was becoming increasingly important, Kasama played a large role in starting instruction in the language from grade one. “Thailand’s development relies on its people having a basic comprehension of English,” she says. “The students who thrive in the language have the potential to work in trade negotiation and study at the highest international levels.” She also worked hard to put education at the heart of local communities. In the past, schools were often seen as austere places. But now parents are encouraged to take part in running the local school and join school boards.

Ever-modest, Kasama maintains that the positive changes made while she was overseeing the ministry came about through the hard work of her team, national administrators and, of course, the kingdom’s teachers as a whole. That said, without her passion, drive and commitment to change, many of these initiatives might never have seen the light of day. And having retired, she has finally found the time to achieve her childhood ambition by publishing her first children’s book Hiw Jang (I’m Hungry) based on the antics of her beloved granddaughter Napakorn, whom she takes care of while also working with many charitable organisations, such as the Foundation for Children’s Books and the Khun Poom Foundation, which gives help to people with autism in all areas of Thailand.

AT A GLANCE

AGE 64
EDUCATION PhD in education, Harvard University
FAMILY STATUS Married to MR Chanvudhi Varavarn, with one son, ML Varudh
MOTTO In the civil service, everything we do needs to have meaning
ROLE MODELS HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn