From Oppression to Resilience: The Battle for Education in Myanmar

Our local leader has sent the following report from a team leader on the ground.

We are receiving urgent pleas for help from the principal monks and volunteer teachers of monastic charity schools in Myanmar. These schools play a crucial role in providing free education, accommodation, and meals to impoverished children. In many cases, these schools are the only reliable source of education for children in rural areas where public schools are unavailable.

In Myanmar, these charity schools serve not only as centers for Buddhist monastic education but also as inclusive spaces for children of all religions, genders, and ethnicities to receive their basic compulsory education according to the national curriculum. Unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, many children from poor and low-income families are unable to access formal education, as the successive military regimes in our country have consistently neglected the education sector.

In response to this pressing issue, monks and nuns across the country have taken it upon themselves to bridge the education gap by opening their monasteries and nunneries as free charity schools. These compassionate individuals have been providing education to underprivileged children, regardless of their background, for the betterment of Myanmar's society.

These charity schools have faced oppression under the military juntas for many years. However, they experienced some relief during the democratic administrations between 2010 and 2020 when the government recognized and supported their efforts. Unfortunately, all progress came to a halt with the de facto military coup in 2021. Despite this setback, the brave and compassionate monks and nuns have not wavered in their commitment to providing free education to impoverished children. And we are not wavering in our effort to support their noble efforts by providing whatever resources we can, during these dark days.

The schools are primarily funded by the principal monks and nuns themselves, with occasional contributions from local donors. However, in the current economic collapse, such donations have become increasingly rare. As a result, some monastic and nunnery charity schools are struggling to sustain the education, accommodation, and meals for the children in their care. Our team on the ground has been working tirelessly to locate and assist these dedicated individuals and their schools, as they strive to ensure the survival and well-being of these vulnerable children.