Myanmar rebuffs ASEAN call to free Aung San Suu Kyi

13 Sept 01:26 Key points summarised by AI

Myanmar's military-backed government rejected ASEAN's renewed call for the unconditional release of former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The regime also dismissed the need for ASEAN's special envoy on Myanmar after Singapore takes over the chair in 2027.
Despite a recent ICRC visit to Suu Kyi, welcomed by the Philippines, Myanmar's foreign ministry stated her release must align with the law, not unconditional demands.
The government, led by Min Aung Hlaing, continues to resist ASEAN's 2021 peace plan and seeks political legitimacy after a 2021 takeover and recent elections widely criticized as a sham.

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.