Post by : Shakul

Thailand’s Ministry of Education has announced major reforms aimed at protecting children in schools after a serious abuse case involving a former private school teacher in Lopburi Province created national concern. Akranan Kankittinant personally visited the area along with ministry officials and local authorities to follow up on the long-running case, which allegedly involved sexual abuse of students and had remained unresolved for more than two years.

During the visit, the Deputy Minister met families of affected students and listened to their concerns about the emotional and psychological impact the incident had caused. He said that financial compensation alone could never fully heal the trauma suffered by the children and their families. According to him, educational institutions must become safe places for students, and the Ministry of Education has a responsibility to protect children when schools fail to do so properly.

The Ministry confirmed that a new “Center for the Protection of Rights, Liberties and Welfare” will officially begin operations on May 18. The center will combine the work of multiple departments within the ministry to respond more quickly to complaints involving student abuse, violence, bullying and rights violations inside educational institutions. Officials say the new center is designed to ensure that such cases are handled without delay or attempts to hide incidents inside schools.

Akranan admitted that authorities may have been too slow in handling such problems in the past, but promised major changes in the future. He instructed the Office of the Private Education Commission to strengthen monitoring systems for teacher ethics and student safety. The ministry also directed schools to install CCTV cameras in blind spots and vulnerable areas to help prevent abuse and improve security for students.

The new child protection mechanism will operate through a three-level system. The first part focuses on prevention by encouraging school staff to respect children’s rights, reduce authoritarian practices and improve mental health support systems for students. The second part involves a modern complaint reporting system that allows children and parents to directly report incidents through digital platforms such as Traffy Fondue without depending on school administrators. The final part will focus on physical and emotional rehabilitation for affected students.

Officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security are also working together with education authorities to provide continued psychological support to victims. The ministry said mental health recovery will remain a long-term priority and officials will continue monitoring the condition of affected students until they fully recover. Authorities believe stronger cooperation between government agencies can help rebuild public trust in the education system.

The Lopburi case has triggered broader discussions in Thailand about child safety, teacher accountability and school oversight. Human rights advocates and parents have welcomed the government’s decision to create a dedicated protection center. The Education Ministry says anyone found violating the rights and safety of children inside educational institutions will face strict punishment under the new system. Officials hope these reforms will help create safer schools and restore confidence among students and parents across the country.

#world news #Education News #Data Protection #Children