Myanmar junta chief vows continued crackdown, then elections

15 Sept 05:00 Key points summarised by AI

Myanmar's junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, declared a continued "decisive action" crackdown against opponents and ethnic rebels, two years after the military coup.
He reaffirmed the military's commitment to holding "free and fair elections" once the state of emergency ends and stability is restored, despite previously delaying a vote due to insufficient territorial control.
The country remains in severe turmoil with widespread fighting, a shattered economy, over 3,100 killed, and more than a million displaced since the 2021 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.