STEM Curriculum and Leadership Skills Integration in a Thai Primary School: From Activity-Based Initiatives to a Competency-Based Reform

This study presents the development process of a school-based STEM curriculum integrated with leadership skill enhancement for primary education in Thailand. The initiative began with activity-based innovations, such as STEM Day and Leadership Camp, highlighting the need for a structured approach. Through analysis of the existing national curriculum and its limitations, a new standard-based curriculum was designed to maintain academic rigor while creating space for future-ready competencies. The revised curriculum consists of three groups: academic core subjects, integrated competency-based subjects (including STEM, AI, entrepreneurship, and leadership), and student development activities. STEM and leadership courses adopt a project-based learning approach, aiming to build problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and communication. This paper discusses the curriculum design framework, implementation timeline, and key challenges, along with strategies used to prepare for implementation in a real-school context.