August 27, 2026 — The Thai government has ordered schools nationwide to stop administering competitive examinations to kindergarten-age children, warning that such practices violate the Early Childhood Development Act B.E. 2562 (2019) and place inappropriate pressure on young children.

Rta. Dr. Phatdarasmi Thongsaluakorn, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the Ministry of Education has instructed the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) and the Office of the Private Education Commission to ensure that both public and private schools strictly comply with the law.

Schools are prohibited from holding competitive examinations, using win-or-lose systems, or ranking young children based on scores.

Under the Early Childhood Development Act, children under six must receive age-appropriate care, development and learning opportunities covering physical, psychological, emotional, social and intellectual development. The policy aims to ensure that children begin their education in an environment suited to their age rather than being pushed into competition prematurely.

The Ministry of Education is therefore revising assessment methods nationwide. Schools are being encouraged to replace academic examinations and competitive rankings with developmental assessments based on observations of children’s behaviour, communication skills, self-care abilities and participation in group activities.

Schools will also be encouraged to use portfolios to collect children’s work, activity records and photographs, allowing teachers and parents to track each child’s individual development rather than relying on numerical scores.

The government said the law takes a holistic approach to early childhood development rather than focusing solely on academic achievement. It warned that excessive academic pressure and compulsory examinations at kindergarten age could create stress beyond what is appropriate for children and negatively affect their development.

The Ministry of Education is also developing a national education curriculum framework covering early childhood education. Paediatric specialists in child and adolescent health, as well as experts from the Department of Mental Health, have been invited to participate in the working group to ensure that the curriculum supports children’s physical, psychological, emotional and social development.

The government said the new approach could also reduce the financial burden on parents who feel compelled to pay for tutoring for young children. Schools have been instructed to maintain closer communication with parents about children’s development so that families and educators can work together to help children grow healthily, appropriately and happily.