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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
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
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.
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)
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:
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
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
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
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
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:
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
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
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)
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
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
Emergency Support
Emergency support for destroyed materials, lost funds or other needs caused by Burma Army attacks or natural disasters is also provided
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.
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
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
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
Karen Education Spectrum of Local Language Use in Karen Schools in Eastern Myanmar/Burma
Administration of Schools in Karen Areas of Eastern Myanmar/Burma?
GOVERNMENT MIXED - GOVERNMENT
MIXED - COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS NATIONAL COMMUNITY
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
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
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
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
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
Common goal. Many approaches. Thank you.
GOVERNMENT MIXED - GOVERNMENT
MIXED - COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS NATIONAL COMMUNITY