MYA/Strengthening Teacher Education in Myanmar

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

Myanmar's long period of isolation, military rule and social and economic decline has left its mark on the education system, which is under-resourced and in urgent need of support to improving quality and inclusivity in education. Learning outcomes among all students are poor, and boys and girls particularly from poor households and in areas affected by conflict and intercommunal violence face a high risk of dropping out of school. The main objective of project is to develop teacher education in Myanmar based on international norms and standards. The project aims to support teacher education reform through improving the policy frameworks, curriculum, and management capacity of Teacher Education Colleges (TECs). There is a strong focus on human rights and gender equality objectives, with an explicit intended outcome comprising improved awareness and capacity of the Ministry of Education and TEC staff in this regards. In the long run, the project will contribute to improved education outcomes and decreased poverty in Myanmar. The direct beneficiaries include TEC teacher educators and management staff as well as student teachers; indirectly, the project benefits the roughly 11 million school-aged girls and boys in Myanmar. The project is supportive of Finland's political influencing in education in Myanmar, which focuses on quality and equality in education. It is well aligned with Finland's programming in the area of good governance, in particular, and supportive of the emphasis placed by Finland on human rights and gender equality. Finland's contribution in 2016-2019 to the UNESCO-led project is 3,250 000 Euros.