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Buriram, 4 March 2026 – Ten pilot schools in Thailand’s Buriram and Si Sa Ket provinces launched Smart Classrooms, under the UNESCO–Huawei Technology-enabled Open Schools for All (TEOSA) initiative, marking a concrete step towards the country’s digital education ambitions.
Led by the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok) in partnership with Thailand’s Ministry of Education and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., the TEOSA initiative equips educators with digital and AI competencies, strengthens digital learning environments, and aids policy development on for AI in education. It directly supports Thailand’s ‘Transforming Education in the Digital Era’ policy and the National AI Strategy and Action Plan (2022–2027).
In each province, one ‘mother school,’ serving as a regional digital hub, has been paired with four Smart Classroom-enabled ’child schools’ in surrounding areas. All ten schools are equipped with high-speed internet connectivity, interactive digital display systems, and collaborative learning platforms that enable real-time content sharing across sites. The upgrades support blended learning and allow teachers to integrate AI-supported tools into lesson delivery and assessment. The rollout was accompanied by hands-on professional development, with 45 teachers from the pilot schools attending live demonstrations of the Smart Classroom facilities on 4–5 March.
‘This new technology will help translate theory into practice, allowing students to experiment, test strategies, and see results immediately,’ said Pathanapong Momprakhon, Principal of Paisan Pittayakom School, one of the ten pilot schools that participated in the 4–5 March professional development workshop on applying the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers and integrating Smart Classroom tools into everyday teaching practice.
The workshop reflects the initiative’s deliberate pairing of infrastructure investment with teacher capacity-building, a balance underscored by UNESCO Bangkok’s Deputy Director and Chief of Education, Marina Patrier. ‘At UNESCO, we are committed to promoting the ethical and inclusive use of AI in ways that empower teachers and expand opportunities for every learner,’ Ms Patrier said at the launch. ‘While Smart Classrooms provide important tools, it is teachers’ creativity, professional judgement and leadership that ultimately bring these innovations to life.’
Representing the Thai National Commission for UNESCO, Chitralada Chanyaem, Deputy Secretary-General, the Thai National Commission for UNESCO Bureau of International Cooperation, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education emphasized the importance of aligning technological innovation with national education priorities. ‘The UNESCO–Huawei Funds-in-Trust Project on Technology-Enabled Open Schools for All stands as a powerful example of collaboration dedicated to transforming education into a system that is open, inclusive, flexible, and resilient in the face of a rapidly changing world’, she said. ‘As the future of education cannot be confined within classroom walls, it must bridge sectors and communities, working collaboratively to create equitable and sustainable opportunities for all.’
Teachers had the opportunity to observe technical staff from Huawei and master teachers model how AI-supported tools can be integrated into everyday practice, and to reflect on what that might look like in their own classrooms.
Ms Piyaporn Kidsirianan, Public Relations Manager, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said the company believes its technology should be a force for narrowing the digital divide and expanding opportunities for all. ‘The Open Schools for All initiative represents a commitment to using technology as a bridge to deliver quality education to remote and underserved communities.’
Through a holistic approach including policy reform, updating digital infrastructure, strengthening digital learning platforms and developing teacher capacity, the TEOSA initiative shows how strategic public–private partnerships can translate national digital ambitions into concrete impact at school level. The collective vision, capacities and educational resources generated by this initiative will continue to support Thailand’s journey of building human capability for its growth and competitiveness.
This article is related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
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