House passes seven clean air bills in their first readings

1 Oct 06:23 Key points summarised by AI

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed seven clean air bills in their first readings, with proposals originating from government, opposition parties, and a civil society organization.
A 39-member committee will now scrutinize and merge these bills, using the government's version as the foundation, which proposes establishing a prime minister-chaired air cleanliness policy committee and imposing substantial fines on polluters.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Yesterday 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.