タイにおけるノンフォーマル教育の役割

―山地少数民族対象のコミュニティ学習センターを焦点に―

抄録

  In Thailand, a multicultural society with a diverse population, nonformal education plays a vital role in providing educational opportunities to its citizens. This study examines Community Learning Centers serving mountain peoples in border areas, where non-Thai nationals predominate, and seeks to elucidate the role of nonformal education primarily through interviews with teachers, a former participant, and participant observation. For these marginalized mountain peoples, the centers not only secure educational access but also function as comprehensive hubs for local development and welfare, accessible to all and fostering a “better life” for residents. The involvement of Thai teachers residing among villagers proves especially crucial, with the teachers themselves acknowledging this significance and deriving fulfillment from their roles.Conversely, the investigation reveals challenges, including the precarious employment structures for teachers, as well as discrepancies between Thai teachers’ perceptions of residents’ “better life” and actual former participants “better life.”