Design a dialogue space (P2)

I don't have the opportunity to visit all schools to observe the dialogue space. But based on what I've heard from other educators, parents, and students, the open dialogue space at my school is not popular. Typically, this will be implemented more in private and international institutions than in public schools.

Public schools have larger class sizes than private schools, making them more complicated. If private schools have between 20 and 30 students per class, public schools will have between 50 and 60 students. It will be challenging for one or two teachers to supervise a class of 50 to 60 students without a regulatory system and stricter discipline. As a result, there are typically more one-way regulations and exchanges in public schools. As for private institutions, they will provide more room for conversation and dialogue.

The management mechanism of the Ministry of Education will also be more accessible to the private school system. Establishing a school would necessitate a system of school-related norms, which the Education Department would not only control at the level of teachers or principals but also intervene in the school's operation. For example, in terms of performance competition, how active a school must be and how well its students perform on exams. There will be pressure from the superior regarding each school's performance, and the school will be required to modify its policies and procedures to achieve the desired results. Private schools are not so entangled in the achievement spiral that they depend on the school owner's or principal's ideology. For example, our school does not prioritize appearance or achievements. In the early years of its establishment, we did not participate in the exams organized by the Education Department, such as art competitions or other similar events, because we felt those things were unnecessary for our students. We wanted to focus more on the learning experience of the children. Of course, we are occasionally reminded of this. We don't care about competing for achievements. We will also accept to trade certain things. In public schools, principals or teachers are experienced people, but they depend highly on requests from the Ministry of Education or higher. So public schools will need time for the whole system to be more open from ideology to direct action.

Public schools also have many different types of systems. Still, fundamentally, teachers or lecturers in public environments will have more restrictions on creativity and freedom because they have to comply with regulations and focus on emulating achievement. Because teachers are so restricted, students are also limited in their freedom to create and express themselves. Teachers in private schools will be given more freedom to experiment with novel teaching techniques. In an environment that encourages freedom, everyone can speak or share opinions and try out new things. There, teachers and students will also be more comfortable. However, it may come with pressure. In private schools, students, parents, and colleagues are free to convey their opinions, and many teachers will be pressured to receive views from multiple streams. They are susceptible to psychological impact and tension if they are insufficiently skilled or brave enough. There are even individuals who change to different careers. In public schools, parental and student input is diminished due to the existence of systems and regulations.

Indeed, not every public or private institution is like the one mentioned. In public schools with receptive principals, teachers can make adjustments within their purview or create additional extracurricular activities or opportunities for students to share more freely. There are also private institutions where the investor and the school's owner have a different view. They may wish to remain profitable, or their values may be inconsistent.

It is pretty diverse. Due to the lower population and fewer institutions, witnessing diversity in rural areas is difficult. In contrast, I observe that individuals have more options in larger cities. Parents can select environments for their children that suit their views. Those who want their children to have an open mind can choose an open-mind space, while those who believe their children need discipline can choose a school with strict regulations. Some individuals have grown up in the public environment and found that it was okay to grow up there, but many choose private schools because they believe their children will perform better there. The same holds for private institutions. If a parent chooses a school for their child and the child finds it unsuitable, the parents can transfer their child to another school. Overall, the mechanism is open regarding how individuals choose their best environment.

I observed that the education system has changed and become more accessible since I was in school. Students are no longer required to listen to teachers and principals in public schools, as was previously the case. This results from the Ministry or Department of Education implementing educational reforms. Currently, the voices of students, parents, teachers, and school principals are more evenly distributed, and there are discussions to find a solution.