Education

The parents of students at Taungkalay High School, in Hpa-an, have expressed concerns that they have to pay fees for their children despite the government promising that state schools – from primary to secondary level – would provide free registration and textbooks for study. Taungkalay High School opened on June 2, but before school started, on May 25, students about…

Hundreds of young Karen people dressed in their traditional clothing file into a large open-air building in Karen State, a booming series of “hello… hello… hello…” tests a sound system stacked on the edge of a stage. The traditional dress sound system and stage are signs that the Karen Youth Organisation’s celebrated its 25th year in May, more than one…

Thousands of Karen students from as many as 370 schools in Pago [Pegu] Division can now officially learn their mother tongue. Saw Jubilee San Hla, the Minister of Karen Ethnic Affairs in Pago Division told Karen News that the teaching of the ethnic S’gaw Karen language would be taught in all government’s primary schools in the Pago Division in the…

Migrant schools working in Thailand’s border town of Mae Sot are bringing hopes of a better future for students, many of whom face huge challenges in just trying to survive. “Last Sat…tehr…day! They went to the stay…di…um! To watch the foot…bawl match!” Shwe Sin Win booms, her voice bouncing off the concrete walls of the small classroom – twenty children…

Burma’s ethnic groups have established an education network organization to preserve and protect ethnic minority languages in Burma. The organization, the Myanmar Indigenous Network for Education (MINE), was launched on February 21, to coincide with International Mother Language Day. “MINE is an exciting development for us. We have struggled for our language and cultural rights for so long and without…

The sound of children singing resounds from Klay Poe Klo School in Karen State, Burma. Naw Htoo La Paw smiles as the song finishes, her youngest child held in one arm. Kids bustle out of the classroom – a single, open room with wooden benches – heading for lunch. Htoo La Paw is one of four teachers at Klay Poe…

Regional government officials from Pago confirmed that the Karen language is to be taught in every regional government primary school. Saw Jubilee San Hla, the minister of Pago Division Ethnic Karen Affairs, told Karen News that the teaching of the ethnic language would begin at the beginning of 2014/15. The decision came after a meeting on December 9 between the…

The regional government of Tanintharyi in Southern Burma has given the go-ahead to the Karen National Union (KNU) to allow Karen villages to teach their language and wear traditional dress at school. Following a meeting in Dawei Town on November 8 with KNU leaders, the Tanintharyi Government ministers granted permission for Karen schools to teach their language. P’doh Saw Beeler,…

Karen communities urge the Karen National Union (KNU) to push the Burmese government to allow their native language to be taught in schools. Community leaders and elders said Karen villages in the government control area want the right to teach their native language. At a recent meeting in the KNU’s Mergui-Tavoy district, in Southern Burma, villager representatives encouraged its political…

A move by the Burmese government to send teachers to Karen National Union controlled areas has created tensions with villagers. Saw Mu Htee, from the Karen Teacher Working Group (KTWG) who is visiting Karen schools in the Pa-an district spoke to Karen News. “In 2013, Burmese government sent more government teachers to Karen villages and order local educational authorities. Parents…