The Process of Capacity Building for Local Administrative Organizations in Designing and Developing Projects to Reduce Educational Inequality

Abstract

This study pursued two objectives: to develop a systematic capacity building process enabling local administrative organizations (LAOs) to design and implement projects aimed at reducing educational inequality and to examine the outcomes of this capacity-building effort. Employing an action research approach, the study involved 23 participating provincial administrative organizations, municipalities, and subdistrict administrative organizations that are located across diverse regions of Thailand.

          The findings indicate that an appropriate capacity-building process comprises seven key steps. (1) self-assessment prior to implementation, through which local administrative organizations review their educational responsibilities, existing educational inequality issues, and organizational capacity; (2) seminars to foster positive attitudes and build foundational knowledge, enhancing LAOs’ awareness and understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and approaches to reducing educational inequality; (3) establishment of an internal working committee, providing a core mechanism for project design and development; (4) collaborative brainstorming among committee members to identify priority issues, analyze root causes, and determine appropriate solutions, thereby generating essential information for project design and development; (5) learning seminars featuring exemplary domestic and international practices, enabling LAOs to draw upon adaptable models and lessons learned; (6) hands-on training workshops to strengthen project design and development skills, allowing LAOs to formulate projects that are ready for implementation in their local contexts; and (7) inter-LAO knowledge exchange, which broadens perspectives and supports the refinement and further development of locally grounded projects.

Regarding the outcomes of the capacity-building process, the findings reveal that all 23 participating LAOs were able to develop concrete projects aimed at reducing educational inequality that were well aligned with local problems and contextual conditions. These projects addressed educational inequality across seven dimensions: (1) enhancing the quality of education for children with special needs; (2) improving educational access and quality for early childhood learners; (3) expanding educational opportunities for at-risk and out-of-school children; (4) raising academic achievement across subject areas to meet established standards; (5) strengthening Thai reading and writing skills as a foundation for equitable learning; (6) developing teacher capacity to promote equitable educational quality; and (7) improving educational quality and equity through the use of digital technologies. Across these dimensions, a wide range of strategies and activities were employed to address educational inequality in ways that were responsive to the specific needs and contexts of each locality.

Based on the findings, the study offers several recommendations for strengthening the capacity-building process. (1) target areas, priority issues, or specific groups of children and youth should be clearly identified in order to ensure focused and effective problem-solving; (2) LAOs should adopt a whole-population perspective by taking responsibility for all children and youth within their jurisdictions, while simultaneously engaging parents as key stakeholders, as parental factors contribute to educational inequality. In addition, the process should begin with small-scale pilot projects before scaling up and emphasize participatory approaches and the development of local collaborative networks; and (3) the process should incorporate an additional implementation-support phase that assists LAOs in translating projects into practice, including continuous monitoring and evaluation, as well as systematic reflection and lesson learning to enhance sustainability.