The objective of this research was to investigate the present situation of Chinese schools and the needs of their teachers in northern Thailand. The subjects of the study were 53 Chinese schools in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son. The study first collected background data concerning these Chinese schools and their teachers’ needs for professional development by using questionnaires. Then, information concerning the challenges faced by these Chinese schools and their teachers was collected through interviews. In order to more fully understand the actual conditions from various aspects, data were also collected through on-site observations. Based on the data, the challenges faced by these Chinese schools and their teachers were identified and suggestions were presented to address those concerns in the future.
The results of the study showed that
A. Difficulties faced by Chinese schools in northern Thailand focused on a lack of qualified
teachers, funding, equipment, and weaknesses in administrative management.
B. Difficulties faced by teachers of Chinese schools in northern Thailand focused on the lack of knowledge and ability in language education, and the lack of adequate salaries.
Finally, suggestions to address these challenges were proposed at the end of the study. They included finding more stable sources of qualified teachers, designing and delivering appropriate in-service teacher training courses, reducing the number of subjects for students in order to focus more on Chinese, increasing support funding and related equipment, administrative management training for leaders, and increasing salaries for teachers.
