KNGY’s work enables Kayan speaking children in isolated areas to access quality education.
Located in eastern Myanmar, Kayah State is bordered by Thailand to the east, Kayin/Karen State to the south and west and Shan State to the north. Due to decades of conflict, the people of Kayah have endured internal displacement and, for many, migration to neighboring Thailand. Public services are inaccessible to a sizeable proportion of the population and food insecurity is a significant concern.
Many remote Kayan speaking communities lack educational support from the government and face significant challenges to provide even a primary education. This results in exceptionally low school completion and literacy rates. Kayan New Generation Youth (KNGY) supports over 9,000 marginalized students and 147 community teachers in more than 100 villages across four states. Through the deployment of ten Mobile Teacher Trainers, KNGY provides a two month pre-service training to their teachers followed by in-service follow-up and support throughout the academic year for not only the teachers, but also the communities they serve. KNGY advocates for the recognition of their teachers and community schools which currently do not receive government funding.
In May 2015, KNGY held a ‘Rural Education Seminar’ for 44 participants in Kayan and Karenni states, including local government officials, to plan and co-ordinate in the areas of Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education, teacher quality, and refugee return. The seminar enabled KNGY to advocate and demonstrate successes and achievements, while constructively building connections for further enhancement of programming and advancement toward advocacy goals.
As a result of the work of KNGY, twenty seven of the schools they support have been promoted. This means that three of the schools are now fully supported by the government and twenty four schools have been upgraded from joint to branch schools which means they will get more curriculum and teaching support from the government. Eleven KNGY volunteer teachers have been promoted to government teachers meaning they can get full government training and salary support.
A KNGY administered school in Kayin State, Burma
Mission/Vision: of a peaceful, developed, free, and just community in Kayan region.
Link to PLE Strategy: KNGY promotes increased access to education services for vulnerable populations in Southeast Burma by training and supporting volunteer teachers in Kayan ethnic schools in Kayah, and Mandalay Division. In PY6, KNGY is exploring the use of village level support programs for schools, including, Parent Teacher Association strengthening, and exploring additional convergence opportunities with Kayah (Karenni) State Education Department.
Partnership period: 01 December 2011 – 31st July 2017
Project location(s): Karenni (Kayah), Shan, Naypyidaw, and Karen (Kayin) States, Burma
Project beneficiaries (direct & indirect): Marginalized students and community teachers