Myanmar junta leader again not invited to ASEAN summit

13 Sept 09:29 Key points summarised by AI

Myanmar's junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is excluded from the upcoming ASEAN summit for the second consecutive year.
The exclusion stems from the junta's failure to demonstrate "visible progress" in implementing ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus for peace following last year's coup.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.