Experts want Thailand to pursue a more inclusive BCG model for development
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Experts want Thailand to pursue a more inclusive BCG model for development
15 Sept 11:42Key points summarised by AI
Thailand champions its Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model as the "Bangkok Goals 2022" at the APEC summit, aiming for balanced, sustainable, and inclusive regional development across climate, trade, biodiversity, and waste management.
Experts criticize the BCG model's inclusivity, arguing it primarily benefits large corporations and state agencies, potentially serving as "greenwashing" without addressing the root causes of environmental issues or benefiting ordinary citizens and vulnerable groups.
Geopolitical tensions, particularly regarding the Ukraine war, overshadow the APEC summit, preventing a joint statement and leading to the absence of key leaders, while also highlighting divisions between developed and developing economies on environmental protection measures.
Anti-government protesters are demonstrating, demanding APEC leaders address critical issues like human rights, democratization, and the perceived monopolies of big conglomerates, underscoring public dissatisfaction with the current economic framework.
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.