Strengthening the Ethics and Thai Culture for Youth of Buddhist Sunday School in Thailand

Authors

  • Prateep Peuchthonglang, Yathaweemintr Peuchthonglang, Nunthanat Atsadonsak, Saksayan Yaisamsen

Abstract

This research used combined methods which were quantitative and qualitative methods. The objectives were to synthesize, develop, and evaluate the results of applying the model to strengthen the ethics and Thai culture for the youth of Sunday Buddhist schools (or “SBS” for abbreviation) in Thailand. The research area covered 16 SBS in Thailand and the selection was based on distinguished performance. The two target groups were: 1) the total of 1,600 students, selected by multi-stage random sampling in the quantitative research for enquiry about the results of strengthening of the ethics and Thai culture for the youth of SBS.. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation and by using inferential statistics in multiple regression analysis, and 2) the total of 160 samples of administrators, teachers, personnel, parents and students in group, selected by purposive sampling in the qualitative research, using interview and focus group methods for developing the model to strengthen the ethics and Thai culture for the youth of SBS in Thailand. The research results can be summarized as follow:

           1) In 1958, the first Sunday Buddhist school in Thailand was established at Wat Mahathat Yuwarat Rangsarit. This educational prototype was derived from Myanmar and Sri Lanka Buddhist organizations that established the SBS offering non-formal education. This SBS has facilitated the youth by providing them the study of Buddhist teachings and Thai culture on Sundays to strengthen their ethics and to cultivate good practices in accordance with Buddhist morality in the youth so that they could reach a quality life and be a good person in society.

           2) Building and testing of the PROMMITR model for strengthening of the ethics and Thai culture for the youth of SBS: The PROMMITR Model, whose 8 alphabets constitute its 8 elements of the model including:  “P”– Participation, “R”– Recognition, “O” – Organization, “M” – Money, “M” – Man, “I” – Indicator, “T” – Teamwork and “R” – Reporting, was built and tested for strengthening the education provided by SBS.

           3) Evaluation Results of the PROMMITR model: The results of using the PROMMITR model showed that one of the factors affecting the strengthening of the ethics and Thai culture for the youth of SBS was the teachers as the central role in education. Thus, the effectiveness of the PROMMITR model also relied on 7 significant characteristics of the teachers, in sequence which are; 1) being endearing, 2) being respectable, 3) being cultured, 4) being a counselor, 5) being a patient listener, 6) being able to deliver deep discourses and 7) not leading to a useless end.

Published

2020-02-29

Issue

Section

Articles