The storm of change arrived uninvited in 2021, devouring everything in its path. In the chaotic society that followed, all sectors, including politics and economics, underwent a transformation in their operational patterns.

Even the education sector, which had been functioning normally before, experienced severe changes due to unexpected conflicts. So, how exactly did the education system and learning patterns change?

The education sector in Myanmar can be said to have transformed in roughly three ways. First, education journeys came to a halt halfway through. Second, internal displacement led to changes in educational patterns. And third, there was a shift towards overseas education.

Although the forms differ, the future of education in all three of these patterns remains uncertain, filled with obstacles and challenges to overcome. Let's explore this in the current article.

(1)

First, let's talk about the young people whose education was abruptly halted due to conflicts and destruction of towns and villages. These are individuals who had to stop their schooling for various reasons: they couldn't settle in their original locations, there was a lack of rule of law, or their communities became unstable.

"I never thought this would happen in our town. I had never experienced conflict in my life. Now, at the age of 42, I'm facing it. It happened during the school season. The children have had to miss a year of school. I don't know how long this will last. If schools don't reopen for another 2-3 years, I can't bear to think about the future of my sons and daughters."

These words come from Ko Min Zaw (name changed), a resident of Thandwe. When conflicts broke out in Thandwe, schools were closed. They, like many others, migrated to larger cities in search of better prospects. His children had to pause their education.

Although precise surveys haven't been conducted yet, there are still many students in Myanmar who have had to stop schooling due to these dire circumstances. Especially for children from financially struggling families, education has come to a standstill.

This is just one of the many fundamental reasons why the contribution of educated individuals to the future development of Myanmar is likely to diminish.

(2)

Just as some educational journeys have halted midway, another factor contributing to the decrease in educated individuals is the change in educational patterns for internally displaced people.

In this great transformation, those with strong financial backing still have some resources left. However, middle-class and lower-class individuals have had to abandon their homes and places of residence, fleeing to areas they believe might be safer.

As a result, their children's education has become a race against time and money, causing great anxiety.

"In Yangon, tuition fees, transportation to school, and food expenses are all twice as much as in the countryside. Back there, we could just use bicycles to go to school and tuition classes. Before, I wanted to become a doctor. Now, I even feel discouraged," shares Ma Yin May Khaing (name changed), who moved from Thandwe to Yangon and is now attending high school.

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While education and learning costs in smaller towns were manageable within their means, after moving to schools in big cities like Yangon, expenses have nearly doubled.

And this is not even for famous schools. These are experiences from transferring to and studying at ordinary level schools. The combined cost of tuition and school fees is eye-opening, according to student Ma Yin May Khaing.

It's not just the students; parents themselves are also enduring these hardships.

"We fled to Yangon as war refugees. Here, the rent for a house is 400,000 kyats per month. Just think about it. When you combine the room rental costs with the children's school expenses, I can't even sleep peacefully at night," confides Ko Kyaw Zaw (name changed), a parent who relocated from Sittwe to Yangon.

Ko Kyaw Zaw isn't alone in facing these difficulties. There are still many people moving to Yangon from places like Lashio, Mogok, Dawei, Myeik, Magway, and Sagaing, so there are countless others in similar situations.

Therefore, the future of education for children from families who have moved to big cities is filled with concerns.

(3)

While the education of internally displaced people is in this vague and uncertain state, families who have moved abroad are also worried about their children's education.

Rather than "Knowledge is a golden pot that cannot be stolen," they are in a situation where you need a golden pot to be able to acquire knowledge. Most have now moved abroad for their children's education, especially to neighboring Thailand.

If they can secure a job in Thailand, have a place to stay, or at least manage accommodation for their family, they tend to relocate and settle there. This relocation is based on many factors such as instability at home, high commodity prices, scarcity of jobs, and low wages. However, for parents with children, if asked about the main reason for settling abroad, it's for the sake of their children's future - to provide a safe environment and education opportunities. You could say it's about wanting peace of mind for their children's future.

"We've been here since around 2022. I'm a video editor, and my wife works in Digital Marketing. Since we have jobs, we can provide a reasonably comfortable life for our son and daughter here. Schooling in Thailand is good. It's good for the children's future," says Ko Hein Htet Lwin, a video editor who moved to Thailand with his family.

That's why places like Mae Sot and Chiang Mai in Thailand are filled with Myanmar people. Some also go abroad to study, fearing that their education might be incomplete if they stay until adulthood.

Those who have moved abroad as migrant students say that studying abroad is convenient. They mention that they sometimes have to work part-time while studying, but they say it's still better than Myanmar if they can have a job, feel safe and secure in their living conditions, and be able to study.

However, nothing is entirely perfect. Those who have had to leave for foreign lands to study face a multitude of challenges.

Living in dormitories with many people, crowding into apartments, language barriers, trying to adjust to new environments, differences in educational systems - these are all challenges for Myanmar migrant students. And they still need to find jobs.

"Studying here is expensive. So, I have to work on the side. Online jobs are the best if you can find them. Things like being a page admin, writing content, digital work, and so on. If you can do that, the income helps make things manageable," says Ma Phyo Hnin Mon Thant, who is studying in Thailand.

Ma Phyo Hnin Mon Thant stopped attending university after her second year due to the domestic situation and transferred to study in Thailand. She had to spend time searching for a suitable school in Thailand.

Some are staying in university dormitories as they are attending universities. Regardless, they say that both the education system and the university dormitory support system are better than in Myanmar.

However, not everyone who has moved to border areas and foreign countries is doing well. Children from families working hard jobs in factories and farms lack education.

But even in this situation, they say they are receiving better education than in Myanmar. This isn't an exaggeration. A primary school child learns about 9 subjects. For example, in Thailand: Thai language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, History, Health and Physical Education, Arts, Career and Technology, and Foreign Language. They study these 9 subjects. There are also two additional subjects to study. If children can study these numerous subjects happily and lightly, you can estimate the quality of Thailand's education system.

That's why the number of people trying to cross the border to study, or trying various possible ways to get permission to leave the country for schooling, is increasing day by day.

Future of Education

Due to the storm of change in 2021, Myanmar's education has transformed. It can be mainly divided into two parts.

One part consists of those who had to halt their education due to financial constraints and those who can't get good education due to internal displacement.

The other part includes those who continue to pursue higher education at international universities with family support, and students attending international schools within the country. This part also includes children of Myanmar migrants who have reached other countries.

Thus, based on the ability to access domestic and foreign education, it will determine which sector, which part will contribute to the future reconstruction of the country.

Whatever the case, it's undeniable that being educated is better than being uneducated. If education is to be the best investment, capital for investment is still needed. However, the less capital required, the better, and equal education for all is still necessary.

For young Myanmar migrants, the Myanmar education system, which proudly claims "Education has no distance," has perhaps become like wisps of smoke, growing more distant without them realizing it. This is something to ponder.

Nway Oo Ywat War (Y3A)

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