The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is to transform 433 of the schools under its jurisdiction into designated religious schools over the next six months, the capital's deputy governor announced yesterday.
Mr. Wallop Suwannadee said that under the administration's 'Dhamma Method - Buddhist Method' scheme, Bangkok schools would be run on the three principles of moral precepts, concentration (or meditation) and knowledge.
Bangkok's new Democrat governor, Mr. Apirak Kosayothin, has pledged to support both formal and non-formal education with the provision of early years centres in local communities, more use of information technology in schools, teacher development, the transformation of schools into lifelong learning centres, the development of foreign language teaching and the provision of opportunities for the private sector to become involved in education.
The 'Dhamma Method - Buddhist Method' scheme will be open to both temple schools and non-temple schools, the latter of which will be designated as 'Dhamma' schools rather than being openly Buddhist.
Children at the designated schools will be expected to behave well in word and deed, to concentrate on their learning and to develop their knowledge through greater understanding.
The BMA also hopes to enlist local temples and mosques in the work of the capital's schools.