Fears and hopes at collapsed Mandalay school

13 Sept 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake caused the Wisdom Villa Private High School in Mandalay to collapse, trapping teachers and children.
Rescuers faced immense challenges searching for survivors, with at least seven people initially trapped and seven confirmed dead at the school.
Families, including Yin Nu, whose daughter was heard calling for help from within the rubble, endured agonizing waits, clinging to hope amidst the dire circumstances.
Amidst the ongoing tragedy at the school, a separate rescue operation successfully pulled a woman alive from a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay, offering a moment of hope.

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.