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SWOT analysis of the access to learning of the children in Chin State, Myanmar

On 11 July 2024 by SPP

Author: Khine

Introduction

Before the military takeover, there was a long-term school closure in Myanmar due to the global COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020. Consequently, most of the children in Myanmar were deprived of learning because there was no alternative option to respond to the pandemic, for example, online learning. So, it has been two years since around 12 million children in Myanmar were away from schooling (UNICEF, 2021). Following the global crisis, the Myanmar military seized power on February 1, 2021, leading to protests, civil disobedience movements against the military, and armed conflicts throughout the country.

Under the military regime, the education system has collapsed, especially in conflict-affected areas where millions of children can’t access formal schooling. Within political concerns, the rate of drop-out of school-aged children more than doubled over the past two years because of military violence, aerial bombing, and battles, leading to significant barriers in their learning journey (Xian, n.d.). Although community-based schools, INGOs, and NGOs provide informal education, numerous challenges are certainly encountered, such as inadequate learning resources, poor infrastructure, a shortage of well-trained teachers, and limited digital literacy among teachers, all of which can hinder the continuity of education. So, both locally legitimized government bodies and the global community need an immediate review of the ongoing educational crisis in Myanmar to implement concrete actions.

Background of Education in Myanmar

Under the military rule of over a half-century prior to 2015, Myanmar’s education system transformed from being one of the most admired systems across Asia to an impoverished system in the region (Hayden & Martin, 2013). The quality of the centralized education system gradually declined due to insufficient funding for education and civil conflicts over the long term (Tun, 2022). In 1964, Burmese was only allowed to be used as a primary language of instruction at all government schools, although there are eight national races in Myanmar: Burma, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, and Shan, with their own languages and diverse cultures as well (Lall & South, 2018). This also led to tension among various ethnic groups, as ethnic languages were no longer allowed to be used in schools.

In 2015, the National League for Democracy (NLD) came to power, and many education reforms were conducted as long-term and short-term plans, such as the allowance of using minority ethnic languages as a classroom language and the integration of local content into school curricula (Cho & Gilbert, 2020). According to the National Education Strategic Plan (NESP), the basic education curriculum reform was conducted within the academic year 2016–2021 under the KG+12 system (Htet, 2020).

The current education situation in Myanmar, especially in Chin State

Before even the political conflict, Chin State was often cited as the poorest and least developed state within Myanmar, having various concerns such as poor transportation, lack of proper health care and education services, inequality in education, language barriers in education, and centralization in education (UNDP, Myanmar; 2019). For instance, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization, the shortage of teaching staff has always been one of the major concerns, hindering the accessibility to quality education in most areas of Chin State (CHRO, n.d.). The military takeover on February 1, 2021, led to widespread boycotts of public government schools and conflicts throughout the region.

According to the updated news on April 5, 2024, the UNHCR’s (Myanmar) internal displacement figures for Chin State reached 204,538 because of the intense ongoing conflicts and the unexpected airstrikes (UNHRC, 2024). At the IDP camps, the displaced people are struggling to access basic needs such as food, water, and the right to education. According to the survey’s results from the Market Analysis Unit (March 2023), their living conditions are relatively poor, including access to education and materials, and international organization support is still limited because of the blocked roads.

Nevertheless, Chin communities have developed an alternative education approach, which is community-based schools to offer continuity education for their children who cannot access formal schooling. According to the news from Radio Free Asia (RFA), the enrollment rate in community-based schools has been higher, currently reaching more than 50000 children throughout the Chin state (Radio Free Asia, 2023). Consequently, a wide range of issues will certainly arise in these diverse schools, which should be controlled and addressed by policymakers.

Research Problem

Thantlang, one of the townships from Chin State, witnessed serious attacks, committed by the Myanmar military, such as setting fire to 900 homes in Thantlang (Myanmar Now, February 16, 2022). So, school-aged children in that area are unable to go to formal schools, but 104 community-based schools are the only option to continue their education (Thantlang Education Committee (Temporary), 2023).

The research problem is to understand the ongoing challenges and exciting opportunities in providing continuity education during conflict.

Statement of Purpose

Through SWOT analysis, internal and external factors of operational community schools in Thantland township from Chin State are examined; the paper will

  1. Identify the strengths of existing educational initiatives in Thantlang township in Chin State.
  2. Analyze the weaknesses that disrupt access to learning in Thantlang township in Chin State.
  3. Explore the opportunities for exciting educational initiatives in Thantlang township in Chin State.
  4. Assess the threats that hinder sustained access to education in Thantlang township in Chin State.

This paper aims to provide a discussion of realistic policy recommendations for locally legitimized government, civil society organizations (CSOs), non-government organizations, and local education leaders in collaboratively responding to the challenges posed by education concerns in Myanmar.

Keywords: community-based schools – schools run by local actors such as CDM teachers without the control of the military education system; NUG – National Unity Government.

Method: Data Collection

The qualitative research methodology was utilized to gain insightful information that directly reflects continuous education in this crisis area. After developing the proposed interview questions, semi-structured interviews were conducted online with seven education practitioners: education leaders, headmasters, and teachers, including experienced teachers and novice teachers who are implementing community-based schools across four education zones in Thantlang township. After that, the responses were translated into English, coded using NVivo software, and analyzed to provide findings and suggestions.

Findings

After structuring the data, community-based schools appear to be of utmost importance in providing ongoing education for the children residing in these areas affected by conflict. The following factors are found and evaluated accordingly:

Strengths (Internal Factor)
  1. Language flexibility and local curriculum development: All participants remarked that there are many benefits to using their language, Chin, as a medium of instruction at the primary level. At the secondary and high school level, bilingual languages (Burmese and Chin) are utilized in the classroom. All participants mentioned that “it was observed that language flexibility surely makes students’ engagement levels remarkably high.” According to Respondent 2, “teachers could also deliver much more interactive extracurricular activities such as life skills and civics, for instance, how to ensure protective measures against bombings” (Respondent 2, Online Interview, December 13, 2023).

In developing the local curriculum, known as the Chin Reader, the learning content has been customized based on the exciting curriculum with the integration of their ethnic content and various international perspectives, such as diversity, because previous historical content is irrelevant to the current situation. (Respondent 1, Online Interview, December 10, 2023).

  1. Legitimacy and parents’ trust: Initially, public trust was very low because it was questionable whether these community-based schools were accredited by any government and how students who finished high school went on to further studies. After getting approval from the National Unity Government, parental views on these schools changed and increased to a certain level. Furthermore, educational leaders are also holding educational conferences and workshops for every village to gain their trust, boosting their engagement level.
  2. Self-management for resources: It was also noted that, despite the limited resources available, various alternative management strategies are practiced to address this gap. The education leaders commented that “a local printing committee has been established with community support to address the lack of textbooks. To minimize expenditure, the textbooks are only produced in black and white instead of color print.” (Respondents 1 and 2, Online Interview, December 2023). Furthermore, another participant explained that,

“When NGOs provide the learning resources, such as notebooks, a strategic plan has been developed in which 500 MMK is collected for a single book, managing funds for future orders to protect the shortage of the books. Likewise, if each student receives six notebooks, we have to allocate two books for the first two months and the other books for the upcoming months. This is necessary because some students may probably skip or tear pages without valuing them.” (Respondent 6, Online Interview, December 25, 2023).

Regarding safety concerns, bomb shelters are built near the schools to protect against air strikes.

  1. Commitment to offering continuous education: All of the education leaders, along with certain teachers, showcase their exceptional dedication to educational endeavors while having numerous financial problems. One participant shared his personal experience. “I am also a refugee, having migrated from Thantlang, and I even got a gunshot wound during the conflicts. Since then, my willingness to be involved in educational initiatives has grown stronger for our Chin community. Many teachers are also refugees and have the same feelings as me. I consistently encourage my co-workers and junior teachers, reminding them that ‘even if we do not receive a salary, we must keep putting in our efforts for our nationality” (Respondent 7, Online Interview, December 27, 2023).
Weakness (Internal Factor)
  1. Insufficient resources (learning materials and infrastructure): As usual, the availability of textbooks, whiteboards, marker pens, infrastructure, tables, and chairs poses a significant obstacle. In these areas, the price of learning materials is three times more expensive than the original ones, as they are not easily accessible because of difficult transportation. Participants commented, “NGOs can only offer assistance to approximately ten schools, which is a relatively small number, so the majority of schools do not receive any support. For this year, there are still students who don’t have textbooks” (Respondent 3, Online Interview, December 17, 2023).

It is also noted that “for our school building, we can only use bamboo and tarpaulin. In place of 8 people, 20 children stay there. The space is too limited, and there is not even a place to walk for the teachers. One room and the other are very close, and it is too noisy. While students from the other room are reading, the other room cannot teach. Moreover, the weather is very hot, and it is not comfortable for the students to learn” (Respondent 7, Online Interview, December 27, 2023).

In terms of tables and chairs, “it is not convenient for students to not have enough space to write” (Respondent 7, Online Interview, December 27, 2023).

  1. Insufficient teacher training: Only 40% of teachers are former government teachers who participated in the civil disobedience movement (CDM) and have enough teaching experience and reasonable qualifications, while 60% of teachers are inexperienced teachers who commonly don’t have those requirements (Thantlang Education Committee (Temporary), 2023). Mostly, they are undergraduate students, while some are university third-year students or final-year students. Although NGOs and NUG arrange teacher training programs as much as possible, they cannot cover all the schools and teachers, and their effectiveness is still limited to a certain extent due to their short-term nature, which normally takes one week.

Furthermore, one education leader highlights that “since the NGOs conduct the selection criteria themselves, certain schools overlap with those receiving training, while others do not receive any form of training. Moreover, these individuals who have received training are unlikely to remain in their positions for an extended period” (Respondent 2, Online Interview, December 13, 2023).

  1. Lack of budget: Teachers’ salaries are mainly supported by the Chin community and stakeholders. In general, salaries range from 50000 MMK to 200000 MMK per month, which is significantly low to cover the current living expenses. So, the pay situation surely makes the underlying scarcity issue for teachers worse. The education leader also commented, “We have a recruitment plan for proficient trainers who will provide a three-month training program for our selected teachers. These trained educators will share their perceived knowledge through mobile training platforms, reaching out to diverse locations. The presence of master trainers will ensure the retention of teacher resources. The main difficulty lies in securing the necessary budget for these initiatives” (Respondent 1, Online Interview, December 10, 2023).
Opportunities (External Factor)
  1. Support from NGOs and NUG (learning materials and infrastructure): Generally, the learning kits, such as books, pencils, crayons, storybooks, and sports materials, are provided by around four INGO organizations. Moreover, the National Unity Government (NUG) provided financial assistance of 150,000 MMK for 50 students last year. For Thantlang township, 40000000 MMK was provided for the first time. For the second time, 6700,000 MMK is going to be provided for new enrollment students.

One education leader remarked, “Although children are so happy to receive crayons and drawing books, the basic needs should be prioritized for us, such as whiteboards and marker pens. Without whiteboards and marker pens, it won’t work on the on-ground stages, but it could still work without crayons and storybooks. Nevertheless, I didn’t argue that their support is effective up to a certain degree” (Respondent 1, Online Interview, December 10, 2023).

  1. Support from the NGO and NUG (teacher training): Based on the respondents, training helps inexperienced teachers improve their teaching skills and classroom management skills, along with the shift from a teacher-centered approach to a child-centered approach. It is commented that “by attending training, we get familiarized with modern teaching techniques and also know how to do interactive activities” (Participant 4, Online Interview, December 19, 2023).
  2. Community involvement: The level of community involvement is commendable, and the majority of the budget allocated for running these schools is sourced from the local community, including stakeholders who are working in foreign countries. If there isn’t any support from the community, there are no longer schools in that area.
Threats (External Factor)
  1. Poverty and community support: Throughout the last three academic years, different Chin communities and stakeholders have been supporting the entire school’s budget the most. So, these communities’ resources are becoming scarce, and the majority of parents who are also migrants from conflict-affected central areas are also facing financial difficulties in purchasing new textbooks. Despite having a financial crisis in the current unstable situation, the general population is struggling to overcome it, expecting federalism as fast as possible.
  2. Lack of policy for further studies: Under the guidelines of the National Unity Government, students who have finished high school were all awarded a completion certificate. Based on their grades, they are eligible to pursue subjects offered by the Spring Normal University, facilitated by the NUG online. However, in reality, all students in these areas are not able to join it because of internet issues. All of the participants concluded that how students extend their future studies poses a major threat. Participant 7 commented as follows:

“When both parents and students asked me so many times how they could do further studies, I also didn’t have any specific answers. If possible, I want to get information about future studies for students and how they can extend their education.” (Respondent 7, Online Interview, December 27, 2023).

Based on their current respondents, the policy and additional guidance sessions to explore future educational pursuits are urgently needed to inspire hope in fellow students and parents.

  1. Air Strikes: Military air attacks normally target public services such as schools, hospitals, and churches. Respondent 7 commented, “we had to close the school more than 10 times last year, and we could not attend the classes regularly because of the air strikes. We had to relocate to various locations within the village to keep learning. Though it is too difficult to teach and learn, we did it the best” (Respondent 7, Online Interview, December 27, 2023).

Figure 1 – A summarized result through SWOT analysis of the access to learning

Policy Recommendations

Based on the findings from internal and external factors of access to learning in Chin State, the strategic recommendations will be provided to policymakers from INGOs, NGOs, the National Unity government, and local education leaders.

  1. Teacher Efficacy

According to the news from UNICEF and also a research article, the radio instruction program has been utilized by numerous war-affected countries throughout the world as a cost-effective strategy to ensure access to education, reaching out to millions of children in marginalized areas (Dossou, 2024; Tlili et al., 2024). So, it is strongly recommended that a radio education-based program is the only best option for promoting teachers’ efficacy and students’ home-based learning. The National Unity Government (Myanmar) should urgently cooperate with international non-government organizations to launch it, which could deliver student-centered teaching practices, lesson planning, educational philosophy, and classroom management that will be in line with their local resources and their existing knowledge. It should guide educators and students on how to do content-related activities, games (vocabulary-building games), and exercises that can cover literacy, numeracy, language, and life skills. Additionally, it should broadcast subject-matter content such as scientific knowledge and moral stories, involving content against gender stereotypes.

As an additional way, the international organizations should deliver the lesson planning details that will guide how to teach all of the lessons of all grades, learning resources (worksheets, activities), and assessment format based on their exciting curriculum content.

Moreover, although teachers have a heavy workload, it is advisable to conduct classroom teaching observations by experienced teachers by using teacher evaluation checklists and monitoring the new teachers’ quality, while teaching demonstrations should be led by the experienced teachers. 

  1. Teachers’ Digital Literacy

Though the internet isn’t currently accessible in Chin State, international communities, NUG, and local actors should urgently train both teachers and youths to upgrade their digital literacy. Having knowledge and the ability to use a wide range of digital tools, such as social media, AI, education websites, and learning tools, will surely broaden their learning circle with a wide network that directly sharpens their personal growth, academic performance, and professional growth as well. Educators should have essential technological skills, such as browsing, searching, and filtering data and digital content, and know how to protect personal data and privacy for their teaching profession and personal lives as well.

  1. Teachers’ Motivation

It was found that all of the education leaders have a strong commitment to offering education for their troubled children. Likewise, to maintain teacher retention, a reward system should be practiced for teachers based on their performance; recognition, such as the Best Attendance Award and the Best Teacher Award, and professional development opportunities should be given to teachers by fostering a positive working environment. As NUG or local education leaders, information sharing sections should be held for both teachers and youths, for example, USAID scholarship information.

Moreover, local education leaders should prioritize listening to teachers’ voices and encourage their participation in school administration by sharing authority.

  1. Accreditation

Based on all of the participants’ responses, students who finished high school don’t have the chance to do further studies, which is a major concern among teachers, parents, and students. As a response to this issue, while ensuring their immediate educational needs, such as basic literacy skills and life skills, the local actors should launch the General Educational Development Test (GED) Program or another internationally certified program that gives students the chance to join international universities, as “GED is recognized by the United States, Canada, Australia, and many Asian countries” (Newton, 2024). International educational experts from international organizations should launch information-sharing sessions about the General Educational Development Test (GED) with the collaboration of local education leaders while sharing the learning resources by using USB flash drives.

Likewise, regular educational conferences and workshops should be organized for parents and community members to enhance their understanding of the school’s mission, curriculum, and educational goals while promoting their trust. As an alternative strategy, vocational training programs in areas such as mechanics, computer training, nurse training, and fashion design should be offered in collaboration with local technicians for the youth.

The Ministry of Education of the National Unity Government should ensure quality assurance aligned with international standards and make partnerships with international universities to obtain accreditation, like a memorandum of understanding between Arizona State University and the Ministry of Education of the National Unity Government (Ministry of Education, 2024).

  1. Adaptability

The use of their local language, Chin, should proceed in the classroom, with a focus on communication skills in Burmese, the common national language throughout the country. In addition, local curriculum development, known as Chin Reader, also presents a great opportunity to integrate ethnic and peaceful content, promoting their own culture and democracy.

  1. Accessibility

It was found that getting training from NGOs and NUG is effective to a certain extent for inexperienced teachers, but there was a gap in collaboration between policymakers from NGOs and local actors. To meet their real needs, clear communication is required between the strategic-level decision-makers from NGOs and local education leaders. Getting information about what they need, how much they need, and how often they need it would be more effective in maximizing their educational endeavors.

  1. Safety Precautions Against Air Strikes

Near the school compound, it is suggested to construct underground bomb shelters to protect against the air regime, along with an air raid alarm system (Riley, 1942). According to the official suggestions, in every school, teachers and students should have practice sessions ahead on how to defend themselves in the event of an air strike. For example, once they hear an early alarm signal, they have to move to the closest bomb shelter and not go outside until an all-cleared signal is sounded. Additionally, every school should prepare emergency supply kits.

Volunteer group members from every village throughout Chin State should be well-trained to monitor and report the news about enemy aircraft movements to the public. Moreover, just like in World War II, nighttime blackout measures in which windows are covered with blackout curtains or cardboard to reduce visibility from the air should be practiced in every conflicted area, thus making it more difficult to spot the target areas on the ground.

Conclusion

In conclusion, international advocacy with sharing international expertise is an urgent call in Chin State to assist vulnerable children because it was found that only four different non-government organizations provide humanitarian assistance to education in that area. (Respondents 1 and 2, Online Interview, December 2023). What is more, advocacy from the National Unity Government and Chin communities should be engaged to provide adequate salaries and incentives for teachers, thereby promoting teachers’ retention and motivation, which will directly contribute to children’s education in Chin State.

 

References