More women in teaching for more girls in schools: challenging gender barriers in Myanmar’s IDP camps

Above: Assistant teacher Ma Khaing (centre) with two students with disabilities that she supports to go to and from school each day. Photo: Shwe Eain Thu/LWF

For 20-year-old Ma Khaing*, becoming a teacher has always been a dream. Both her father and brother work as volunteer teachers in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp where her family resides in Rakhine state, Myanmar, and Ma Khaing wanted to follow in their footsteps.

But displacement and poverty have created roadblocks for Ma Khaing’s own education. While she completed most of primary school before her family were displaced, then finishing grades five and six in the Nget Chaung 1 camp before attending high school in Sittwe, family finances meant she had to drop out in ninth grade. Her parents could only afford to have one child in high school at the time, so gave priority to her older brother.

“I have concerns for the education of my younger brother and sister as well, because the place I live is remote from government schools, and they may not be able to access higher-level education,” she said.

More than 140,000 people live in IDP camps in Mynamar’s Rakhine state due to ongoing conflict and political instability, the majority of which are members of the stateless Rohingya ethnic group.

The Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) Myanmar Education in Emergencies Response aims to reach more than 19,000 children living in IDP camps in Sittwe and Pauktaw with improved education opportunities. AHP partners involved include Save the Children Australia, Plan International Australia, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Humanity and Inclusion. The consortium is also linked with Muslim Aid.

As a member of Nget Chaung 1 camp Youth Development Group and Women’s Development Group, established by LWF, Ma Khaing heard of a new AHP-supported project looking for female assistant teachers.

She decided to take a chance and apply. With her passion for teaching, and support from senior teachers, Ma Khaing found herself taking the first steps towards her dream career.

“I was selected for the job, along with another six female assistant teachers. I was happy that my wish came true and [that I could] pursue my passion,” Ma Khaing said.

As an assistant teacher, Ma Khaing supports students with disabilities and those who do not speak Rakhine as a first language. She also undertakes home visits to reach out to parents if students are not attending school, and organises parent-teacher association meetings. Through her role, Ma Khaing has also had the opportunity to undertake training on topics such as gender equality and disability inclusion.

“At my duty station, there are two children with disabilities in Grade 1. I help them to attend school. Especially in the rainy season, it is difficult for students with disabilities to go to school by themselves,” Ma Khaing said. “I go to their homes and accompany them to school. I also encourage parents to send their children to school.”

Empowering more girls to attend school is an important part of Ma Khaing’s role. When female students see more female teachers, it encourages them to stay in school and helps them feel safe and protected, she said.

“I work at my best to make schooling enjoyable, and to act as a role model for girls’ education, and contribute to creating an inclusive education for all children with disabilities,” she said.

There is vast untapped potential among women and girls in IDP camps, but barriers, such as those faced by Ma Khaing in completing high school, reduce employment, education and training opportunities.

Gender stigma and social norms remain a challenge for women looking to work in positions traditionally filled by men. This divide begins in the classroom: based on recently gathered 2021-2022 student enrolment data from Pauktaw IDP camp, male students (54.7%) continue to outnumber female students (45.3%) in the camp’s learning spaces and schools. Evidence from AHP partners suggests an ongoing and significant disparity in enrolment numbers between Rohingya girls and boys.

Through the AHP Education in Emergencies response in Myanmar, the hiring and training of more women for the teaching workforce is a priority. Other initiatives include scholarship opportunities for female students, peer-to-peer networks for female teachers, and interventions to boost women’s participation in employment and education. Planned activities include the establishment of girls’ clubs, and awareness sessions on livelihood opportunities for girls and their parents. The AHP Myanmar Education in Emergencies response will continue until the end of 2022.

*Name changed