USA and India to be granted ASEAN CSP status next week

13 Sept 06:29 Key points summarised by AI

The USA and India are slated to receive "comprehensive strategic partnership" (CSP) status with ASEAN next week, signifying their increased importance and all-round cooperation with the regional bloc.
This upgrade will be announced at the ASEAN-US Summit, attended by US President Joe Biden, with India's CSP status following concessions made over trade in goods and services.

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.