SEAMEO RETRAC and Thailand’s Teachers’ Council Explore Strategic Collaboration to Enhance English Proficiency and Teacher Development

On November 20, 2025, SEAMEO RETRAC conducted a working visit to the Teachers’ Council of Thailand (TCT) – the Ministry of Education of Thailand, to explore potential collaboration in teacher professional development, with a particular emphasis on strengthening English proficiency among primary school Thai teachers. During the meeting, TCT reaffirmed that enhancing teacher quality is central to Thailand’s education reform agenda. English proficiency was highlighted as a critical component of national teacher standards, especially in the domain of using Thai and English for communication alongside digital technology, in response to persistent disparities in English learning opportunities between urban and rural or disadvantaged communities.

SEAMEO RETRAC shared its extensive experience in teacher training and professional development in Vietnam, including English proficiency enhancement, pedagogy, ICT and AI integration. The Centre proposed a structured collaboration model involving placement testing, needs-based course design, and a phased pathway to ensure teachers attain minimum English proficiency prior to EMI focused training. Both sides agreed to prioritize English proficiency while integrating relevant ICT components, and discussed key implementation considerations.