feature Children's Education by folklore in Thailand Historical background of Education in Thailand by Khunying Maenmas Chavalit ducation of children in Thailand, before the were oral explanation, demonstration and supervi- reformation of its educational system, was sion on the child who was taught to listen, E under the responsibilities of three institu- memorise and practice. The child was also ex- tions; namely the family, the temple, and the King. pected to ask questions, although this activity was The education system was reformed in Buddhist not much encouraged. Era (B.E.) 2411-2453 (A.D. 1868-1910) during the Four activities were required for learning: reign of King Chulalongkorn, who initiated the Suttee (listening);Jitta (thinking); Pucha (inquir- modernization programme of the country's socio- ing), and Likhit (writing). economy and political infrastructure. Before then, The subjects taught were mainly spiritual, there had been no schools in the modern sense; vocational and literary. Girls were given instruc- neither were there a systematically prescribed tions at home, by the mother, the grandmother curriculum and teachers trained in teaching meth- or female adult relatives. They learned etiquette, ods. Knowledgeable persons who were willing to cooking, household management, grass or cane teach, would apply and transfer their knowledge weaving, and most important of all, textile weav- which they had acquired through years of prac- ing. Textile weaving was not only to provide gar- tice, observations, analysis or which they had in- ments for the family, but was also regarded as a herited from their parents. The methods used prestige, and a requirement for respectable women. f e a t u r e As for religious learning, they ment, embroidery, etc.. This temple was specialised such as were taught by elders in the fam- training is reflected in the edu- building, carving, gilding, ily as well as by Buddhist monks. cation of Lady Nopamas of the mother-of-pearl inlaiding, medi- During the Buddhist sacred days Sukhotai court (13th Century cine, astrology and astronomy. and festivals, children accompa- A.D.), as described in the book The knowledge and skills ac- nied their elders to the temple entitled "Nang Nopamas". quired would be applied for earn- and listened to the preaching of As for boys, their education ing a living. the monk. Daily, at home, they was mainly provided by the In the past, the temple was were taught to make merit by temple. After their early age, a actually a community resource getting up early in the morning boy of about 6-7 years would be centre for education of boys. to prepare food for the monk, sent to the temple, and some of Similar to girls, the sons of noble and in the evening before family were also sent to the going to bed, they would re- court to obtain knowledge re- cite the Buddha's teachings, quired for royal and state especially the Five Sila, or services. precepts which they were ex- pected to observe strictly. The invention of Thai Prescribed education for girls, alphabets as being understood by the Concerning the encoding of society, was in the spheres of information for preservation religions, respectability, obedi- them would stay in the temple and dissemination of knowledge, ence, house-hold management until they finished the required the King had a significant role to skills (which to an extent include training. Common subjects for play. King Ramkhamhaeng the property management, arts and boys and girls are etiquette and Great invented the Thai script in crafts, in particular textile weav- religious learning. Boys also B.E. 1826 (1383 A.D.). Oral his- ing). In many parts of Thailand, learned arts and crafts from the tory began to be recorded in girls were also expected to be temple as well as from their fam- written words, even though dur- economically self-reliant. This ily or elders. For religion, boys ing those time religious text had been observed by a number were taught deeper knowledge were actually written in the Pali of foreign visitors to Thailand in and were required to observe language and ancient Khom the past more strictly the precepts and script. It took a few hundred Daughters of the noble or other disciplines, including years for the Thai language and courtier family, after a few years grammar, reading and writing of script to be fully used for reli- of training at home, would also the Thai language. They began gious purposes, and especially be sent to the queen, the ladies with learning the alphabets - in to record Thai folklore for educa- in the court or the female roy- both Thai and Pali scripts - which tion. Nevertheless, Thai folklore alties to learn the more refined girls were normally not allowed has been, since the past, one of arts or engage in higher literary to learn. The boys were also the resources for education of activities such as writing poetry, taught other skills and knowl- children. complicated flower arrange- edge in which each particular SPAFA Journal Vol. 7 No. 3 19 feature The role of folklore in in a word to teach directly or to put a 3 or 4 years-old child in children's education indirectly through, for example, the cradle, and sing lullabies to Before and even after the educa- lullabies and rhymes to console ease them into the state of tion reform, folklore has had a children. sleepfulness. By repeatedly sing- great role to play in Thai ing to them, the child therefore, children's education. Folklore The lullaby and nursery more or less, learn some facts such as nursery rhymes, lulla- rhyme about the environment in which bies, folk tales, legend, myth, The direct function of the lullaby he or she is being brought up. proverbs, sayings, beliefs, reli- is to soothe children to sleep. A number of the Thai lulla- gious rites and festivals etc. have The benefits of sleeping well bies for babies or small children been parts of everyday life. A contribute significantly to contain ideas and teachings children's health and growth. which are actually not at all Sang in soft and smooth understood by children. Thai melody, the Thai lullaby con- folklorists such as Pongpan sists of words which express Maneeratna, Pinyo Jittam, and love and care. This helps a Kingkaew Attakorn pointed out child to feel secure, and indi- that these lullabies are meant for rectly it fosters self-confi- adults i.e. elder sisters or young dence which is necessary for mothers who sung the lullabies learning. The baby learns to to teach themselves, and to ex- appreciate melodious sound press their own frustration or child in Thailand would normally and to recognise words. Mod- hope. be brought up in an environment ern child psychologists and spe- The intention to use lullaby containing these elements of cialists, in promoting reading, for education purposes, perhaps, folklore. suggest that, even at very early took place in the reign of King Naturally, after the educa- age, the baby should be in- Rama III (B.E. 2367-2393 A.D. tion reform, formal schools were troduced to words which are nec- 1824-1850) when His Majesty, established. The national edu- essary for developing reading desirous of educating his people, cation plan was formulated to skill even before the child goes ordered that all masters of meet changes in society, and sys- to school. knowledge, technical and artis- tematic knowledge were im- Another characteristic of tic skills, including those knowl- ported to broaden the child's Thai lullabies is that they con- edgeable in folklore, transferred world view. Nevertheless, cer- tain words about nature. The their knowledge. This was done tain types of folklore were se- opening line, in general, consists by inscribing their knowledge on lected and adapted for inclusion of words about flowers, birds of stone slabs fixed to the pillars in classroom teaching. different kinds, trees, stars and and window panels of the temple In the past, folklore in gen- the moon. Some are about folk and balconies of Wat Phra eral were meant to impart some tales, description of places and Chetupon (annexed to the Royal knowledge, to stimulate think- the parents' occupation. In the Palace). In those days, the ing and to maintain self-control, old days, it was quite customary temples were still the centres of 20 SPAFA Journal Vol. 7 No. 3 feature learning, and the majority of the scholars, Pay Sergeant Mora 1921). The purpose then was Thai people were illiterate. The and Prince Damrong Rajanu- mainly to preserve them, with King ordered that pictorial pre- bhab. copies distributed to schools. sentation should be made along In the year B.E. 2427 (1884 Later, after having considered with written words. Thus we A.D.) Pay Sergeant Mora began that some of the verses did not have a few lullabies, particularly to collect nursery rhymes for contain substantial content suit- the popular ones, such as Chau the purposes of rewriting and able for teaching children, he ar- Khun Thong (the talking myna), adapting them to stimulate ranged to have them rewritten, and Ching Cho (a mysterious children's interest. He took a using words and a systematic animal), inscribed with illustra- few initial lines from the nursery style of writing Thai poetry, and tions so that children could see rhymes and added stories which added moral lessons. These and read them. were his own creation, in order were put together in one book Other types of folklore such to entertain and teach children. entitled "Doksoi Subhasit - as folk tales, proverbs, rites and The title of his book is Verses on Proverbs". Doksoi is festivals, riddles, history, medi- "Yawaphot - Words for Chil- one of the versification style cal treatises, and classical litera- dren".