Yamin's chance to follow her teaching dreams in Myanmar

Above: Yamin Khin, 19, says that her role as an assistant teacher in a temporary learning centre supported through Plan International and AHP is helping her family. Photo: Myo Win Naing/Plan International Myanmar

Increasing the number of girls and women in the classroom, both among students and as teachers, has been one of the aims the Australian Humanitarian Partnership’s Education in Emergencies response in Myanmar.

The response works in internally displaced persons camps in Rakhine State, home to large numbers of stateless and persecuted Rohingya people who have limited access to government-run schooling or services.

19-year-old Yamin Khin grew up in one of the camps, and studied at a Temporary Learning Centre (TLC). Through the AHP project she now has the opportunity to work as an Assistant Volunteer Teacher at the same TLC where she studied, supporting other students, particularly girls, to access education.

This is Yamin’s story:

“My name is Yamin Khin and I am 19 years old. I have seven siblings, and I am the eldest. My father makes family income by fishing and is the only breadwinner in my family.

As my family is big, I have been struggling to get education. Also due to the culture as well as religious beliefs in our society, girls are not very much encouraged to attend school, especially for adolescents.

Luckily, I got my primary education in [the camp TLC] and passed Grade 7 at a government middle school. But I dropped out due to low income in my family.

After dropping out from school, we have encountered lots of difficulties because there is only one of us who can make money for our family. I was struggling a lot and tried to do paid housework and sell fish in the camp. It was really challenging for me in our community as a young girl going out and trying to sell fish my father caught.

One day, I saw an announcement calling for female assistant teachers in the Temporary Learning Centre, and I applied. Fortunately, I won one of the positions. [The opportunity] has reduced my struggles as I am able to support my family, physically and mentally.

I started working for Plan International Myanmar in January 2022 as a Female Assistant Teacher. This kind of work had been a dream since I was young, when I was completing schooling in the TLCs.

I mostly spend my time with the children in the TLCs where I am assigned. My responsibilities include caring for the students in the TLC, helping the volunteer teachers in teaching, reminding and encouraging children on personal hygiene, facilitating girls’ safe space activities, Learning and Wellbeing in Emergency (LWIE) activities, and mobilising parents and Parent Teacher Association (PTAs) for project-related activities. 

At home, I retell the knowledge and skills I have gained from the TLCs to my family and help my brothers and sisters with doing their homework.

By working in the TLC, I have learnt a lot, such as classroom management, positive discipline, gender knowledge, Disaster Risk Resilience knowledge and communication. Plus, I am able to support my family with some basic needs, and I can provide my brother and sister with education support and other learning costs. Currently, there are two children continuing their education in my family: my little sister joins Grade 2 at a TLC and my younger brother is attending Grade 7.

I understand that education is very important for all people. At the same time, job opportunities are also very important, especially for girls’ empowerment. Education and job opportunities are inter-related with each other. Many young girls like me are struggling for their family, even if they have some level of education. I have never experienced such a large opportunity for girls before. It is great for young girls and I really appreciate it.”