karen teacher working group - lc.mahidol.ac.th ler htu_scott... · karen teacher working group over...

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Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are approximately 1,460,000 people living in Karen State of whom 203,300 have been internally displaced (another 131,463 Karen are refugees in Thailand) Supporting Karen Education Throughout Eastern Burma

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Page 1: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Karen Teacher Working Group

Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities

There are approximately 1,460,000 people living in Karen State of whom 203,300 have been internally displaced (another 131,463 Karen are refugees in Thailand)

Supporting Karen Education Throughout Eastern Burma

Page 2: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Karen schools have always been organized and supported at the community level under the guidance of the Karen Education Department

Poverty caused by war has made it impossible for communities to provide for teachers and students

2013-14 total

Schools 1295

Teachers 6148

Students 141704

Schools in Karen Areas

Page 3: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Karen Teacher Working Group

KTWG was created in 1997 with the belief that given the opportunity, we Karen can develop and improve our own education system in spite of the Burmese military regime.

KTWG provides pre-service and in-service teacher training as well as education assistance to all Karen State schools.

We provide child-centered approaches that promote local language, culture and knowledge.

Page 4: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

KTWG’s main Programs

Mobile Teacher Training (In-Service Teacher Training)

Karen Teacher Training Collage (Pre-Service Teacher Training College)

Education Assistance (KSEAG) Media and Advocacy (Kaw Lah Media) Eastern Burma Community Schooling

Project (EBCS)

Page 5: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Mobile Teacher Training Project

To increase the number of teaching methods used by Karen teachers in their classrooms

To motivate Karen teachers to remain in their positions as teachers

To increase the availability of teacher education to isolated Karen State teachers

To ensure that the teacher education provided to Karen State teachers be useful, appropriate and relevant to the needs of these teachers

Our Mobile Teacher Trainers (MTT) visit teachers in their schools throughout Karen State providing training and assessment. Project goals are:

Page 6: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Mobile Teacher Trainers trained teacher in 2012

District /township Teacher received training

Teacher in each District /township

Pa Pun ( Mutraw district ) 687 1194

Kyaw Kyi , Shwe Kyi, Kler Lwee Htu Bago east )

175 282

Hpa an ( Hliang Bwe) ( Kayin state )

236 440

Duplaya ( Kyain seigyi, kaw Karik) Kayin state

684 2102

Dutha Tu ( Billin , Thaton) ( in Mon state )

500 868

Dwewei, Bonpyi , Tannitayi ) 108 503

Taungoo, Thadaung, Kayin State )

116 190

Total 2506 5579

Page 7: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Mutraw District

KTWG Training

Centre PLANNING Every three months MTT gather at the KTWG training centre for planning and evaluation. Following this, they return to their districts.

COORDINATION and planning with education leaders is done prior to every mobile training cycle.

SECURITY MTT face many dangers including Burma army attacks and natural disasters

COMMUNITY discussions are held with villagers to raise issues and gather information about community schools.

ASSESSMENT of teachers needs helps us define the type of in-service training we provide.

IN-SERVICE training is provided individually or in small groups in 1-3 day workshops in community schools.

INTENSIVE 1 month workshops are held throughout Karen State during the summer vacation period. In March 2013, 1286 teachers participated.

PARTICIPATORY training methods are used to promote trainee participation and active learning.

EVALUATION of the past training cycle is undertaken by all members and is used to plan the goals and activities of the next training cycle.

Mobile Training Cycle

Page 8: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Local Teachers Trained by KTWG Mobile Teacher Trainers in 2012

District /township Teacher received training

Teacher in each District /township

Pa Pun , Kayin State (Mutraw District)

687 1194

Kyaw Kyi & Shwe Kyi, Bago East Division (Kler Lwee Htu District)

175 282

Hlaing Bwe, Kayin state (Hpa.an) 236 440

Kyain Seikyi & Kaw Kreik, Kayin State (Dooplaya)

684 2102

Billin & Thaton & Hpa.an, Mon State (Doo Tha Htoo)

500 868

Dawei & Bonpyi & Tenasserim, Tenasserim Division (Mergui Tavoy)

108 503

Thadaung, Kayin State (Taungoo) 116 190

Total 2506 5579

Page 9: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Karen Teacher Training College

2 year pre-service teacher education course for Karen State youth who agree to 4 years teaching in Karen State immediately following graduation

Academic knowledge upgrade, child-centered pedagogical training, and KED subject methodology

Focus on community schooling and the incorporation of local knowledge and resources in schools – curriculum includes a 3 staged practicum in community schools

Page 10: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Media and Advocacy

• Website (www.ktwg.org) www.kawlah.co.cc • www.ebcsp.

Page 11: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Karen Teacher Newsletter

To bridge the widening gap between Karen teachers in Kawthoolei and those in refugee camps.

To empower Karen teachers by providing them a voice to speak about their experiences.

To improve access to teacher education for all Karen teachers.

To establish an ongoing forum in which Karen teachers assess the status of their schools.

Our newsletter is produced 3 times per year in Karen and English. 5000 copies of each issue are distributed to refugee and Karen State teachers as well as other interested groups. The aim of the newsletter is:

Page 12: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Education Assistance

KTWG has been the largest supporter of Karen State schools since 2002

In 2005 KTWG, Partners and KED formed the Karen State Education Assistance Group (KSEAG) to pool and coordinate assistance

In 2006-7 KSEAG provided teacher subsidies and student materials to ALL schools

Page 13: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

School Statistics

District and township leaders thoroughly collect and verify student, teacher and school numbers

Stats are basis used for distribution and monitoring

Stats also determine which schools are receiving support from other donors

Page 14: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Teacher Subsidies

Our goal is to help teachers meet their basic living needs, allowing them to remain in their positions as teachers.

In 2012-13, we are able to provide 4581 teachers with 4500 Baht (the remaining 112 received from other donors).

We support both community and government teachers as communities still are required to support both (support for government teachers goes to communities to support gov teachers)

Page 15: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Student/School Materials

Our goal is to provide student and school materials at 50% of the level provided in the refugee camps

In 2012-13, we were able to provide learning materials, health provisions and sports equipment for 102,237students (the remaining 2,218students received outside support)

Materials are warehoused at secure sites throughout Karen State from which communities may collect the materials during March through May for the next school year

Page 16: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Transportation

Transporting large amounts of funds and materials into Karen State poses many problems (military attacks, flash flooding, etc.)

Education leaders at the district and township levels are responsible for organizing transportation and distribution of materials

In 2013, 28,258 community volunteers carried materials from the Thai-Burma border to secure distribution sites

Thousands more then collected the materials to bring to their community school

Page 17: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Emergency Support

Emergency support for destroyed materials, lost funds or other needs caused by Burma Army attacks or natural disasters is also provided

Page 18: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Monitoring and Evaluation

Teachers collect their subsidies in person at distribution sites (maximum one day walk from their community) where photo ID and signature verification are used to determine authenticity.

KTWG members regularly check warehouses throughout distribution period (March-May).

MTT verify that materials have reached schools and are being used properly.

Page 19: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Eastern Burma Community Schooling Project

Sharing KTWG’s model and experience with partner community based ethnic organizations

Develop network of ethnic community based education organizations seeking to develop the quality of education and systems in their areas

First Steps: Teacher Preparation Course develops mobile teacher trainers who then are charged with providing in-service and summer vacation teacher training workshops

Page 20: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Next Steps

Every year approximately 17% of teachers leave their positions – mostly because they cannot sustain themselves (was 37% when we began)

This severely limits our ability to develop the capacity of teachers and the overall quality of education provided to Karen State students

It is essential to support teachers’ and schools’ basic needs if we hope for our teacher training programs to have a long term impact

KSEAG can both meet these needs while helping to develop KED’s capacity to run their education system

Page 21: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Thank you for your interest.

For more information please visit our website at http://ktwg.org

or write us at [email protected] .

Karen Teacher Working Group

Thank you

Page 22: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Karen Education Spectrum of Local Language Use in Karen Schools in Eastern Myanmar/Burma

Page 23: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Administration of Schools in Karen Areas of Eastern Myanmar/Burma?

GOVERNMENT MIXED - GOVERNMENT

MIXED - COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS NATIONAL COMMUNITY

Page 24: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Curriculum, Administration and Support?

Curriculum: Gov

Administration: School Committee, Gov

Support: Community,

Gov, KSEAG

Curriculum: Gov

Administration: School Committee, Gov

Support: Community,

Gov, KSEAG

Curriculum: Govt with KED supplement

Administration: School

Committee, Gov

Support: Community, Gov, KSEAG

Curriculum: KED, church, Gov

Administration: School Committee, Church

Support: Community,

Church, KSEAG

Curriculum: KED

Administration: School Committee

Support: Community, KSEAG

Curriculum: Available texts in Karen

Administration: School

Committee

Support: Community

Page 25: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Language of Instruction, School Texts & Communities?

Burmese Language Texts

Instruction in Burmese

Karen, Burmese & other in

Community

Burmese Language Texts

Instruction in Burmese

Karen, Burmese & other in

Community

Burmese Language Texts

Instruction in Burmese &

Karen Karen in

Community

Burmese & Sgaw Karen

language Texts Instruction in

Karen Karen in

Community

Sgaw Karen language Texts

Instruction in Karen

Karen in Community

Sgaw Karen language Texts

Instruction in Karen

Karen in Community

Page 26: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Who are the teachers in these schools?

All teachers are government

teachers usually from outside local area

30-70% are government

teachers from outside of the

local area

Majority of teachers are

from the community with 1-2 government teachers from

outside of local area

Mission teachers may be from towns

and the remaining are

community members or

from local area

Are usually community members or

from local area

All are Karen and usually are

community members

Page 27: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Challenges for MLE Across Karen Education

Karen not as commonly used in

communities Burmese curriculum

inaccessible to some students/parents No Karen literacy

Instruction in schools

Limited Burmese use in communities

Burmese language curriculum

inaccessible to students/parents No Karen literacy

Instruction in schools

Limited Burmese use in communities

Burmese curriculum inaccessible to

students/parents No Karen literacy

instruction in schools

Lack of qualified local teachers who can

teach Burmese Burmese not available

or used in communities

Lack of qualified local teachers who can

teach Burmese Burmese not available

or used in communities

Lack of aualified local teachers who can

teach Burmese Burmese not available

or used in communities

Page 28: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Some Ideas for Moving Forward

Karen used as language of

instruction (where appropriate) at

primary level and as subject beyond that

Local curriculum development

Burmese language training for local

teachers Karen used as language of

instruction at primary level and as subject

beyond that Local curriculum

dvelopment

Burmese language training for local

teachers Recruit Burmese

language teachers

Karen used as language of

instruction at primary level and as subject

beyond that

Burmese language training for local

teachers Recruit Burmese

language teachers

Burmese and English language training for

local teachers

KED Burmese subject curriculum

development and comparison with Gov

Burmese and English language training for

local teachers Bring schools into

national or government systems

Page 29: Karen Teacher Working Group - lc.mahidol.ac.th Ler Htu_Scott... · Karen Teacher Working Group Over 60 years of Civil war, poverty have devastated Karen State communities There are

Common goal. Many approaches. Thank you.

GOVERNMENT MIXED - GOVERNMENT

MIXED - COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS NATIONAL COMMUNITY