7.4. Study in the Form of Obrom Khru-pariyatti-dhamma

The school was the teachers training school for the Sangha, established in 1961 at the Samphraya Monastery with the approval of the Sangha Supreme Council. Somdej Phra Buddhaghosacaraya (Fuen Jutindharo), a former chief monk of Pali course, was responsible for the school. The educational level of the school was divided into three classes as follows:

1) The Third Class: its curriculum was that of the school-level education. This curriculum was also used by the Academic Department of Education Ministry.

2) The Second Class: the curriculum of this class consisted of that of the primary-school-level education prepared by the Academic Department and of the first-year-level education used in the state Teacher Training Department of the Education Ministry.

3) The First Class: its curriculum was that of the secondary-schoollevel education held in the Arts Department and of the second-year-level education used in the state Teacher Training Department of the Education Ministry.

The teaching learning method used in the ecclesiastical school was temple learning style in comparison to that of the same school run by the state. This was so because its main purpose was to provide support in enhancing the knowledge of Buddhist monks and novices. When the monks and novices got well educated, they could effectively teach both religious and secular subjects to students or people in general.

By now, the educational administration of the school is done away. But the idea of educational management of this school is still alive. It is called Phanaek Fuek-Had-Khru Pariyattidham [Pariyatti-dhamma],^[1] established by Academic Committee of Mahamakut Buddhist University on February 15, 1973. It started functioning in 1975. Since 1989, it has been divided into two levels, spanning three years.^[2]

There are three main subjects:

1) The group of Religious Subjects.
2) The group of Teachers' Subjects.
3) The general subjects suitable to monks and novices.^[3]

A candidate seeking admission to the course has to pass the second grade of Nakdham Course. He also has to finish the fourth grade of state education.^[4] The important thing is that there is no bar on age. Student monks and novices having completed their education are awarded a certificate. Thereafter, they have to perform religious duties sometime. After that, they can do their further studies at the level of the first year of Buddhist University. It is because of this reason that it can be said that it is a "place giving chance" to monks and novices who stay in the countryside. Through this place, despite their being quite advanced in age, they can get a chance to acquire education.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ecclesiastical Teacher Training Section.

[2]:

Mahamakut Buddhist University, Educational Programme, Regulations and Curriculum of Ecclesiastical Teachers Training Section, 2^nd Rev. edition., p. 1.

[3]:

Ibid, p.88.

[4]:

Now compulsory education in Thailand is upto grade 6 and its trend to be used in compulsory is grade 9.