The Issues of Educational Certification along the Thailand/Burma border

January 2008

“I feel like I got an education so no problem, but I would like if my certificate was legal”

- Student in Umpium Refugee Camp, Thailand

The Population

500,000 IDPs in Eastern Burma

Over 130,000 registered refugees in the 9 Karen/Karenni refugee camps along the Thailand/Burma border

In the camps 43,418 of the refugees are under the age of 12

200,000+ refugees outside of the camps in Thailand

2,000,000+ Burmese migrant workers in Thailand

The situation in Burma…

1948 Independence: Assassination and unstable democracy

Karen and other ethnic groups seek independence

1962 repressive military group takes control of Burmese government

This past summer and the protests

Continuous attacks on minority groups: burning of villages, forced labor, stealing of food, rape…

The situation in Thailand…

Thai government did not sign the 1951 refugee agreement but do have lenient refugee policies (Cambodia, Laos)

1984 the first large scale attacks. Thousands flee to Thailand. Some emergency aid NGOs allowed to assist.

1988 Burmese democracy refugees flee to Thailand – culture shock for many living in the jungles

1994 Education and sanitation NGOs allowed on border

The division of the KNU: 1995 fall of Manoplow

Increased security in camps 1997

UNHCR allowed to assist the Burmese refugees in 1999

Migrants and refugees going to school in Thailand…

What does the education system look like? KED, KNED, NHEC – CBO’s or Educational Departments of

governments in exile?

Migrant schools: BMWEC, Shan and Mon settlements and schools

Issues with Thai schools: language barriers, financial constraints, culture and legality

NGO support: financial, operational, curriculum, teacher training

Thai gov’t support and lack of support: Thai language, talks with NGOs and UN, restrictions on travel and id cards

The Positives: Migrant and Refugee Schools

There is a great community spirit

Community ownership of the curriculum

Education is free (or minimal costs)

More materials than in Burma

Problems around education…

Competition for school after Standard 10

Thai schools: finances, language and culture

Curriculum

Not having access to University

No freedom of movement: migrants and refugees

School itself: languages, noisy, crowded, teacher salaries

Ethnic biases

Resettlement

drugs/alcohol, fighting

Educational Certification:

The education up to this point was looking at repatriation back to Burma and there was no Thai dialogue. No official accreditation besides KED, KNED, BMWEC…

Thai government has only recently started talking about migrant and refugee education because of Education For All policies

Special Cases: EVA, Thai schools, GED, TOEFL, Internet education.

“My certificate means nothing if I don’t have Thai or Burmese ID” – EVA student, Mae La camp

Living in a global world…

Educational Certificates are used and valued by refugees/migrants within their communities – no use or value (except in certain special cases) outside of community.

“The degree you get is very important although not recognized internationally – it is in the community system – so as long as it is recognized in the community it is valuable. This is key, because the aim or purpose of educating people is to serve their community. To get a degree from abroad will help the individual but it won’t necessarily help the community” (24/04/07, Refugee and NGO worker).

The skills gained are valued for outside of the community: ex. English and computers.

NGOs use the certificates to put value on the work – they acknowledge the certificates in hiring practices

Thai government does not recognize certificates – but there are talks currently about providing Thai certificates

Research into how the certificates are valued once repatriated?

The future…

The possibility of Migrant and Refugee schools certified by the Thai Ministry of Education: 70/30 division of curriculum

The big question: What can the refugees/migrants do with their education with limited mobility?

Resettlement. Will there be any teachers left?