Education in refugee camps in Thailand

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Source/publisher: Various sources via "BurmaNet News"
Date of entry/update: 2012-04-18
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: Support to Health, Information, Education, and leadership in Policy Dialogue ...World Education Thailand works to support access to quality education for Burmese migrants, refugees, and displaced persons. Under the SHIELD project World Education Thailand works to develop capacity, provide resource support, and empower communities and their education systems. To carry out this strategy World Education Thailand: * Develops curricula and teaching materials. * Gives monetary and material support through emergency aid and sub-grants. * Trains teachers, school directors, community based organization staffs, and parents of school children. World Education Thailand works in the following provinces: * Mae Hong Son * Chiang Mai * Chiang Rai * Tak
Source/publisher: World Education, Thailand
Date of entry/update: 2010-09-17
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Karen language education is still strong in the Thai-Myanmar border regions. There are currently over 130,000 children being educated in Karen schools operated in Myanmar by the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Karen Refugee Council (KRC) in Thailand. These schools are taking advantage of mother tongue-based principles of literacy, which emphasize that literacy starts with the home language. Since the 1980s at least a million people have completed the basic Karen curriculum focused on Karen literacy, with many of those continuing to secondary and post-secondary education where programs are taught in Karen and English. Karen language education continues despite the marginalization of Karen schools in Myanmar since Ne Win’s 1962 coup. At that time, Karen schools in the Delta Region were replaced with Burmese language schools from the Burmese Ministry of Education. Since then Karen systems of education have remained strong in border areas outside control of the government. Indeed, Karen programs may have even strengthened after many government-funded schools were shuttered following the emergence of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in 2021. Karen education is strong because, in part, it moved into Thailand, where schools continue both in refugee camps, and in migrant schools. The Karen language instruction in Thailand is typically organized by the KRC, which also provides support to schools still operated by the KNU inside Myanmar. The Karen schools in both places reflect Karen education traditions inherited from the Karen schools in Burma, which began in the 19th century. They do this while using teaching techniques and pedagogy adapted from the West, which train students to be “critical thinkers” for a Karen democracy. Development since the 1840s Karen education actually began in the 1840s with the development of modern Karen literacy, the establishment of a printing press, and the emergence of schooling. The earliest efforts were in the Irrawaddy River Delta and Rangoon (now Yangon). This led to a rapid expansion of the Karen school systems over the following decades. Karen and English language programs flourished around the large Christian mission compound in Bassein (Pathein, the capital of Ayeyarwady Region) in the Irrawaddy River Delta, as well as in Rangoon. Baptist Mission primary schools among Karen were first opened by American Baptist missionaries in 1852 at Bassein. A Karen secondary school was opened in Koesue in 1854. The Karen Baptist Theological Seminary was already established in 1845 in Rangoon to train pastors literate in Karen and English. The Bassein Sgaw Karen Normal and Industrial Institute taught English, Bible, Mathematics, Geography, History and Health, along with 19th-century vocational subjects like carpentry, joinery, wheelwrighting and rice production. There is no indication that Burmese language was a medium in the Karen schools, except as a subject. After 1962, Karen schools declined when Ne Win’s government nationalized the Karen schools, and insisted on a “Burmanized” curriculum emphasizing Burmese language, history, and nationalism. Karen teachers trained in Karen Teacher Colleges were replaced with Burmese-speaking teachers trained in government colleges. Mother tongue-based Karen language instruction moved into the highlands, where independent schools were re-established by the KNU. After 1984 Karen schooling also moved into refugee camps in Thailand supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and international NGOs. Independent Karen school systems emerge The KNU resisted Burmanization by establishing their own schools. The education systems they established favored, preserved and reproduced Karen language and culture under difficult circumstances. In this fashion, Karen education survived, even as Karen education declined in the Irrawaddy Delta and the capital, Rangoon. This did not stop Myanmar’s military from trying to spread their control into the mountains. In 1995-96 the KNU capital at Manerplaw was captured. The Karen Education Department (KED) continued to operate schools inside Burma, even as the Karen Refugee Committee—Education Entity (KRC-EE) based in Mae Sot, Thailand, became more important. Ironically this strengthened the Karen schooling system because it put the school system into contact with international organizations interested in educational reform. Once established in the 1990s, the KRC-EE reevaluated how modern pedagogical approaches would be used effectively. Young Karen teachers studied these techniques in the United States, Australia and Canada, and then returned to implement programs in the refugee encampments and in Mae Sot. The programs were successful, and soon refugee schools received not only Karen students from KNU controlled areas of Myanmar, but also ethnic students from Yangon, Ayeyarwady and Tanintharyi seeking a Karen and English media curriculum. Karen education in the border region today The KRC’s Education Entity developed the Karen curriculum by adapting the older KNU-KED curriculum, which in turn, was based on the Karen curricula developed in 19th-century Burma. The primary and secondary curriculum lasted 12 years. Notably, this is longer than Myanmar’s system, which lasts 10 years. Pedagogical techniques emphasizing critical thinking were introduced in a post-secondary training system which emphasizes secular teacher training, and the development of church leaders. The refugee camp schools had a simple advantage in the development of Karen education because they were not subject to attacks by the Myanmar military, as were the schools in Myanmar itself. Refugee school curriculum Since 2008, the refugee camps’ education system has been standardized with new curricula designed and supported by Karen education stakeholders and international nongovernmental organizations. The KRC Education Entity curriculum adopted student-centered pedagogy to replace the rote learning methods traditionally used in Burma. Karen is the medium of the schools, and English is taught as a subject beginning at the primary school level. Consistent with mother tongue-based education principles, the Burmese language is taught as a subject but not as a teaching medium. The Thai language is also occasionally taught in some schools as an elective. The Karen leaders in the camps encourage Burmese language, but not surprisingly, most young refugee students resist learning the Burmese language, which is viewed as a tool of domination. In 2015 KED published an education policy with the following four basic principles. Notably, it leaves out references to national boundaries, but reflects values found in many national and statewide curricula around the world. *Every Karen shall learn his own literature and language. *Every Karen shall be acquainted with Karen history. *The Karen culture, customs and traditions shall be promoted. *Our own Karen culture, customs and traditions shall be made to be respected by the other ethnic nationalities, and the cultures, customs and traditions of the other ethnic nationalities shall mutually be recognized and respected. At all levels, Karen history, literature, poetry and world history are taught. Sensitive subject Karen history is perhaps the most sensitive subject taught from the Burmese perspective. Karen history describes how the Bamar culture and its kings dominated and enslaved the Karen before the arrival of the British. The British arrival in the 19th century is described in the Karen history books as a liberation from Burmese domination, which permitted the re-emergence of indigenous Karen culture. In contrast, Burmese history, first created by Ne Win’s Education Ministry, teaches that the Karen are rebels and a threat to national unity, particularly in the context of the highly centralized government structures insisted upon after 1962. Burmese history textbooks refer to Britain as an external enemy that sought to destroy the country and describes the British as imperialists, collaborators and as “stooges.” Karen history textbooks teach about the positive legacy of the British parliamentary system, and the American education system on which the missionaries first based the Karen education system. In addition to Karen being the medium of instruction in primary schools there are other contrasts. A few examples from the Karen curriculum. Karen poetry (Hta)—Karen poetry is studied from Grade 6–8 in the Karen subject. The writing style of the Karen essay is studied, drawing from Karen Hta literary styles. Beginning in Grade 8, the varieties of Karen Hta and its interpretation are reviewed. In Grade 9 and 10 of the Karen subject, different classifications of Karen Hta and its history are studied. Aung San—General Aung San is not specifically mentioned in the Karen history curriculum and is mentioned only in a brief history of the Burmese revolutionary movement. The conflict between the Burmese Independence Army (BIA) commanded by General Aung San and the Karen during World War II is described in Grade 7 History, including the massacres of Karen undertaken by combined Japanese and BIA forces. Saw Ba U Gyi—Saw Ba U Gyi is studied in Karen school in Grade 6 and Grade 10 as the national hero and father of the Karen nation. In Grade 6, Saw Ba U Gyi’s biography is also studied in both Burmese and Karen subjects. Saw Ba U Gyi’s own writing is studied in Grade 10 and 11 in Karen History. Since Saw Ba U Gyi’s writing was originally in English, the Grade 10 and 11 materials about him are taught in English. Religious diversity—This is studied in grades 6, 7, 9 and 10 of Social Studies. In grades 6, 7 and 9, it is studied in the Karen language, and English in Grade 10 is in English. The importance of religion and the religious diversity of Burma, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism are studied. A shared consciousness has emerged among Karen crossing international boundaries “rhizomatically,” as refugees grew up in the camps and in the diaspora, including many who have no personal memories of Myanmar. Ironically, refugee children born in the temporary camps consider the Karen diaspora and Kawthoolei their nation, even if such a place exists on no international maps. In this context, the Karen language thrives. The popular Karen-language film and music production scene serves Karen youth and has a substantial audience on YouTube and other social media. The persistence of Karen education in the highlands of course creates a conundrum for any future Myanmar government seeking peace. The divergence of the Karen, Burmese and Thai curricula long ago created what social scientists call a “national consciousness” among the Karen of the Thai-Myanmar border region. This consciousness is about their identity as a people, and presumes a level of cultural and political autonomy. Talks about federalism in past decades assumed this autonomy, but of course negotiations were unsuccessful. So there remain tensions between the 130,000-plus children being educated in Karen-medium schools, their families, and the demand of Myanmar’s Bamar-dominated military government for one disciplined nation under military control..."
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Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2023-04-24
Date of entry/update: 2023-04-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "John Bosco is like any 23-year-old who dreams of good education and a career, and who likes to read, use the internet, and play football. Unlike many young people, however, John?s life is confined within the fences of Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee camp in Thailand. John is ethnic Karenni and comes from a big family in a rural village with no access to electricity or water. Although John grew up under militarization and afraid of ?the sounds of guns shooting and bombs exploding,” his main priority was education. John?s family wanted him to have a better life and a future, and they sent him to the Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee camp in 2009. He hasn?t been able to see his family since. In the camp, John says that restrictions on movement and travel are increasing hand in hand with decreasing aid. Like so many others, John is now trapped in one of the most isolated refugee camps in Thailand, which remains out of the electricity grid and is surrounded by landmines. John still considers himself lucky; he doesn?t have to worry about repatriation as much as the many others who have no family in Burma and no place to go."
Source/publisher: Burma Link
2015-03-24
Date of entry/update: 2016-03-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Abstract: "This paper presents the findings of a research study that investigated the level of education that the children of labor migrants from Burma now living in Chiang Mai, Thailand can access to as well as looking at the possibility and different channels for their further education should their parents decide to return to Burma. The focus of the study concentrates on four different ethnic groups, Karen, Karenni, Palaung and Shan by looking at children from the age between 4-13 years old to identify factors that are involved when these migrant children move back to Burma. At the same time, for many children who spent most of their lives in Thailand, it is interesting to see the possibilities and challenges for them in relating to accessing to education since Burma is a new home for many of them. Therefore, it is also interesting to see how the Burma government as well as the Thai education system will respond to this issue of educational development in the changing economic and democratic processes of these countries.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Sutthida Keereepaibool
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 56.1 KB
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Description: "This paper outlines some of the current issues affecting teacher training in seven refugee camps - Mae La, Nu Po, Umpiem-mai, Mae La Oon, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Ban Don Yang and Tham Hin - along the Thai-Burmese border. It describes the current teacher training system and highlights the positive outcomes and challenges involved in implementing a teacher training system in difficult geographical, political and administrative circumstances..."
Creator/author: Janet Steadman; Series editor: Su-Ann Oh
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand (Issue Paper No. 3)
2008-12-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-11-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 237.85 KB
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Description: ABSTRACT: "The Karen, an ethnic minority group in Burma, have experienced a prolonged state of exile in refugee camps in neighboring Thailand due to ethnic conflict in their home country. Nursery schools in the three largest Karen refugee camps aim to promote psychosocial development of young children by providing a child-centered, creative, learning-friendly environment. Psychosocial development and potentially concerning behaviors of two- to five-year old children in nursery schools were examined using a psychosocial checklist. The results showed that psychosocial development of the children increased with age, with a majority of five year olds being proficient in playing cooperatively with other children. A third of the children showed sadness or emotional outbursts. Difficulty separating from parents was also observed. The results also showed that children who attended the nursery schools for more than a year were better at playing cooperatively with other children and were more aware of their own and others? feelings. On the other hand, children who were newer to the nursery schools were more polite and better at following rules and controlling their feelings when frustrated. The results indicate that nursery schools can be a promising practice to promote healthy psychosocial development of children in protracted refugee situations."
Creator/author: Akiko Tanaka
2011-11-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-11-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 357.44 KB
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Description: Executive Summary: "One of the notable features of education in the refugee camps in Thailand is that the system of schools and learning was set up, and is staffed and managed by the refugees residing in the camps, with help from external organisations. There are 70 schools in the seven predominantly Karen camps staffed by approximately 80 headteachers and 1 600 teachers. They support and foster the learning of more than 34 000 students. There are 11 schools in the two Karenni camps in the north. The education in the camps is sanctioned by the Thai authorities, and implemented and supported by local and international NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs). Although the Royal Thai Government (RTG) is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, it does provide some form of sanctuary to the refugees and allows local and international organisations to operate in the camps. These organisations provide essential services in the areas of education, health, food and shelter. However, there are broad and specific restrictions imposed by the Thai government on the movement, livelihoods and education of the refugees. This has significant implications on their opportunities for personal and social development as well as the development of their community. This paper examines the impact of these restrictions and funding on the quality of the learning experience, the cost of schooling and the relevance of education in the camps."
Creator/author: Su-Ann Oh
Source/publisher: UNESCO (Education for All, Global Monitoring Report 2011)
2010-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-07-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 184.63 KB
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Description: "The ZOA Education Survey 2010 is the fourth of a series of surveys on the education in refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border. The purpose of the education survey is to • document the provision of education in the camps • provide background information on a sample of residents • make systematic comparisons across time, and • generate discussions and recommendations for future education provision strategies. The Education Survey in 2009 was conducted using set questionnaires with 3,910 respondents1. This was supplemented by focus group interviews with particular groups of camp residents. The survey was conducted between June and November 2009 in seven refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border: Mae La, Umphiem-Mai, Nu Po, Mae La Oon, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Ban Don Yang and Tham Hin. Refugees from Burma in Thailand The profile of the respondents showed that there have been changes since 2005. With regards to education, the levels of attainment in 2009 are about the same as the 2005 cohort. However, there is a significant difference in that the percentage of people with Standard 10 qualifications is much higher than it was in 2005. The levels of literacy of the respondents in 2009 were much lower than that of their counterparts in 2005, but women who used Skaw Karen as the home language had higher levels of literacy than those in the sample in 2005. The percentage of respondents in different income categories has become more spread out than in 2005, meaning that there are many more respondents earning incomes across the spectrum rather than clustering in the lower levels..."
Creator/author: Su-Ann Oh With Supee Rattanasamakkee (Say Naw), Phanu Sukhikhachornphrai (Chai), Somchat Ochalumthan, Simon Purnell
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand
2010-05-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-03-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 742.01 KB
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Description: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "This annual report of ZOA Thailand provides the information related to the overall aspects of the organization and the implementation of its programme and projects in 2009. The report starts with the financial overview – sources of income, donor information, funding by sources, funding per project and expenditures per project. Additionally, the graphs of expenditures per project show the comparative overview of yearly spending during 3 years: 2007, 2008 and 2009. In the second chapter information regarding Burmese refugees, migrants in Thailand, internally displaced Burmese as well as the general information on the refugee camps and populations is provided. The third chapter describes the project update presenting an outline of the work and the size of the projects as carried out in each of three area offices and at the country office in Mae Sot. In the country office section, general information on the work done and work results in 2009 is provided according to the following structure • the Basic Education Project, • the Education Materials Development Project, • the Vocational Training Project, • the Non-formal Project, • the Higher Education Project, • the Competence Development and Capacity Building Project and • the Livelihoods Project The strategic planning for ZOA Thailand set in 2009 is shown in chapter four. The main information providing five core strategies of the organisation as well as the programmatic results, which shows the overview of the strategic planning per sub-sector is also provided. The fifth chapter provides the readers with the information on management, human resources and partnering. The information on staffing, functions of each office, organisational structure and development of human resources policy and procedures are included to give an overall picture of internal organisation. The final chapter looks at challenges and sustainability in relation to the ZOA Thailand programme. The main issue here is the challenge of resettlement and the impact that this has on the programme. The sustainability section looks at this challenge against various other factors. These are conflict and sustainability, environmental factors and sustainability, social factors and sustainability, financial and economic factors and sustainability as well as institutional factors and the topic of sustainability."
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand
2009-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-03-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.3 MB
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Description: This paper will look at the concept of educational certificates for refugees, IDPs and migrants, the background of education certificates along the Thai-Burmese border; the political and social issues surrounding educational certification, and the strengths and limitations of current (unrecognised) certificates, as reported by refugees and migrants.
Creator/author: Olloriak Sawade
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand - Issue Paper No. 2 -- Series editor: Su-Ann Oh
2008-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-01-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 259.18 KB
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Description: Executive Summary:- Chapter 1 | Introduction: This survey was carried out to provide stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the options for and implications of implementing the Higher Education programme. This evaluation has examined Higher Education in the following areas. 1) The ways that refugee students can access opportunities to Higher Education 2) The impact that this would have on the education provided in the camps 3) The role that accreditation and accredited qualifications would play in the education system in the camps 4) The requirements to deliver a Higher Education programme for stakeholders 5) The risks and threats that exist for the delivery and impact of the Higher Education programme The foci of the evaluation and the ensuing recommendations are: 1) Learners and learning process in terms of what it leads on to 2) Personnel: Teachers (and their training), Admin, NGO/CBO roles, relationships and responsibilities. 3) Curriculum and learning assessment 4) Materials and physical facilities 5) External factors/ variables/opportunities..... Chapter 2 | The right to learn: This chapter addresses the way that internationally agreed conventions and frameworks are supported by the provision of Higher Education for refugees. It also presents information regarding the rights of individuals to gain accredited education and how these support the process of inclusion that has been begun by ZOA already...... Chapter 3 | Education in the camps: An overview of the opportunities to study in the refugee camps is given in this chapter. The range of courses from KG to Tenth Standard is presented. The problems and challenges associated with delivery of quality education are also stated in sections four to six of this chapter including problems information on the impact of resettlement on the refugee education system and the problems that exist regarding access to Higher Education...... Chapter 4 | Higher Education Opportunities: The main options that have been developed by stakeholders regarding refugee access to Higher Education are presented in this chapter. The information given is a comprehensive presentation of the views and perspectives of the various actors and stakeholders involved in the proposed refugee Higher Education programme. The situation regarding access to Thai-language programmes at universities in Thailand is provided first and followed up with research findings for access to English-language programmes at universities in Thailand and access to Higher Education through distance learning...... Chapter 5: | Programme design and issues for further investigation In addition to the information given throughout the research process related specifically to the options that are being explored there has been considerable information given that related to the overall set up of the programme. This ranged from the goals of the programme to community needs and the role of graduates to support these needs. Other areas discussed in this chapter include NGO and CBO roles and responsibilities and the requirements that will need to be met to run this programme. There is also an overview of suggestions and comments provided by those consulted during this research...... Chapter 6 | Accreditation and recommendations for the process: The issue of accreditation is discussed in detail in this part of the report. There have been different options proposed to resolve the lack of accredited education available for refugees. The first option is the use of GED or another form of testing to measure students? aptitude and ability. The second option discussed is a medium term option of providing a foundation course for students to have the opportunity to prepare themselves for GED or similar. The longer term option that was given by interviewees was the alignment of the camp curriculum to the Thai curriculum The opportunities and risks of this are presented in detail in this section of the chapter and information is given to support the process...... Chapter 7 | Assessment of the impact of Higher Education on the education system in the camps: The development of opportunities for refugees to access Higher Education has been seen to be likely to have an impact on the education system that operates in the camps. The possible impact of the programme on the General Education in the camps is presented with details regarding the routes that graduates would be likely to take. There is a presentation of information relating to the need for graduates to be ‘channelled? into supporting the community and the responsibilities for NGO and CBO staff to monitor and support the situation. Other topics in this chapter are related to the impact of Higher Education on Post Tenth Standard education and points to note to reduce any negative impact as well as an overview of the KED planning for Post Tenth Standard education. Other information in this chapter concerns the need for a broad spectrum of educational opportunities to be considered and the role of the Thai NFE system is introduced...... Chapter 8 | Risks: Various risks have been seen to be present for the implementation of the Higher Education programme. The main risk has been identified to be the resettlement programme. Other areas that can be risks if there are not steps taken to establish and monitor the programme that have been discussed are NGO responsibilities and perceptions regarding the role and benefits of providing Higher Education. Also flaws and inaccuracies in the research process are considered here...... Chapter 9 | Strategic recommendations: This chapter provides a set of strategic recommendations for ZOA and the other partner organisations to consider in the development of the Higher Education programme. Each of the following strategies has sub-strategies provided to help ensure that actions and activities are supporting the guiding strategies. 1. Strategy to develop access to opportunities for Higher Education 2. Strategy to support learners to gain accredited education 3. Strategy to ensure that the programme is beneficial for the refugee education system 4. Strategy to ensure access to the programme is inclusive 5. Strategy to ensure that implementation support is present at all levels 6. Strategy to work on sustainability and capacity building..... Chapter 10 | Conclusions: The conclusions provided in this chapter are given to show a suggested approach for the partner organisations to assist with their implementation planning. The text is supported by the table provided in Appendix II which presents the development of the three options and supporting activities as broken down into stages for implementation.
Creator/author: Simon Purnell with Aranya Kengkunchorn
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand
2008-01-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-01-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 663.08 KB
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Description: Introduction: The purpose of this paper is to reveal the broader picture of livelihoods of Burmese refugees in Thailand as well as to launch new ideas on vocational training and access to work. A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (stores, resources, claims and access) and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stress and shocks, maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets, and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for the next generation (Chambers and Conway, 1991: 6). The assets mentioned in the definition comprise not only financial resources, but also natural, physical, social and human capital. While the focus of this definition is on economic livelihood sustainability, it also touches upon ecological sustainability. The natural resource base should be used in everyone?s long term interest, including that of the next generation. Livelihoods should thus not be seen in a vacuum. Instead, it needs to be realised that what is beneficial for a certain household might be harmful for other members of the community. This touches upon a third form of sustainability: social sustainability. This form is achieved when ‘social exclusion is minimised and social equity maximised? (DFID, 1999: Section 1.4). A final crucial element of the ability to achieve ‘sustainable livelihoods? is increased well-being. Indeed, apart from being able to cope with economic shocks, people attach value to nonmaterial resources as well, such as a sense of control and inclusion, self-esteem, health status, political influence, maintenance of cultural heritage etc. These can all be factors that influence the subjective feeling of well-being (DFID, 1999: Section 2.6). In this paper, the emphasis is on the economic aspect: improving access to work and the role of human capital in that process. Human capital is essential as it is the basis for the use of all other types of assets and for achieving a positive livelihood outcome. Human capital is the generic term to mean not only life experience, but also education and skills. In response to the question of whether she was active in the community, a refugee responded: ?No, I cannot, I am illiterate. But my children are learning how to read and write, so their future will be better” (interview with Karen refugee, Mae La camp, 27/12/2006). Burmese refugees are aware of the potential of training, as on average, 65% of people surveyed by ZOA Refugee Care wanted to attend a vocational training course, 58% a language course and 47% an awareness raising course (Oh et al., 2006: 141). Livelihoods are, however, thoroughly influenced by the context refugees live in, which implies that many conditions have to be fulfilled before these activities to develop human resources will really lead to a sustainable livelihood with improved resilience to shocks. This paper will therefore start with an analysis of the context, moving on to practical suggestions for vocational training and related income generation programmes to achieve the goal of improved refugee self-reliance. It touches briefly on the subject of a viable alternative to encampment: the creation of a ‘Designated Zone of Residence?. As the focus of this issue paper is on human capital, other vital elements in understanding the livelihoods of the Burmese refugees, such as the importance of social capital in negotiating access to assets, the problematic access to justice or the psychological consequences of protracted encampment for both individuals and communities, will be outside the scope of this paper.
Creator/author: Inge Brees
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand - Issue Paper No. 1 -- Series editor: Su-Ann Oh
2008-05-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-01-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 301.77 KB
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Description: Executive Summary: This annual report is comprised of information that is related to the ZOA Thailand programme. It sets out to provide the reader with a clear overview of the work done and programmatic decisions that were made within ZOA Thailand in 2007. The first chapter provides information regarding the financial status of ZOA Thailand including the sources of income and the projects supported by these funds. In addition there is information provided that shows the numbers of beneficiaries in receipt of support. The second chapter provides the reader with general information that pertains to the refugee situation and the general context of the work that is done by agencies working with the refugees in the camps. The project update is provided in chapter three and gives an outline of the work and the size of the projects as carried out in each of the area offices and at the country office in Mae Sot. The information on the country office is presented according to the projects that the programme is divided into. These being the Teacher Training and Capacity Building project, Curriculum and Materials Development project, Operational Services project and the Non-formal / Higher Education project. During 2007, the strategic planning was set for ZOA Thailand. This was divided into: 1. A set of seven core organisational strategies covering ZOA Thailand as a whole, both the programme as well as the supporting functions 2. A set of key programmatic choices The details of these choices are provided in the fourth chapter of the report. The programming choices include the rationale and strategic considerations. Chapter five looks at research, studies and cross-cutting themes. The first section contains information regarding the five studies that were carried out to support the implementation and strategic planning for projects. Other themes within this chapter are networking and advocacy, inclusion and inclusive education and gender focused initiatives. Management, Human Resources and partnering is given space in the sixth chapter of the report. This chapter looks at the management and structure in ZOA Thailand, the human resource management approaches as well as an overview of the partnerships and associates that ZOA Thailand works with to support implementation. The final chapter looks at challenges and sustainability in relation to the ZOA Thailand programme. The main issue here is the challenge of resettlement and the impact that this has on the programme. The sustainability section looks at this challenge against various other factors. These are conflict and sustainability, environmental factors and sustainability, social factors and sustainability, financial and economic factors and sustainability as well as institutional factors and the topic of sustainability.
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care Thailand
2008-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-01-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.68 MB
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Description: Executive Summary: "This assessment set out to 1 map the learning landscape in the seven refugee camps served by ZOA, showing points of learning, and if and how they are connected and/or integrated; 2 identify learning needs and interests of the camp communities, including but not exclusively literacy, foreign language learning and resettlement needs; 3 understand the barriers that learners face in gaining access to learning.... Fieldwork was conducted in the seven camps served by ZOA. The sample of respondents was selected using both random and snowball sampling. The provision of adult learning activities: The bulk of learning activities available are languages (English and Thai), technical skills training (agriculture automechanics, sewing), professional development and community issues. There is some provision for literacy, numeracy, and basic and continuing education for adults but that is patchy... Learning needs and interests: Refugees in the camps need literacy, numeracy, workplace skills and general education to upgrade their basic skills and to enable them to grasp and master technical and craft skills, English for resettlement and Thai for possible integration. The majority of respondents were interested in learning English, Thai, computing, agriculture and sewing... Barriers to learning: The most common barriers to learning were misconceptions about the content, form and relevance of learning programmes, the scheduling of the programmes and the lack of widely available course information... Recommendations: It is recommended that ZOA: A uses current provision more efficiently and effectively; B adds literacy, numeracy and workplace skills to current provision; C expands basic and general education provision for adults and young people.
Creator/author: Su-Ann Oh with Toe Toe Parkdeekhunthum
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care
2007-11-00
Date of entry/update: 2008-03-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
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Description: "In the Karen refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border, some 34,000 Karen students are in school every day. About 1,100 Teachers and Trainers join hands together daily in order to educate the Karen youth. The Karen are the second largest ethnic group in Burma. For decades they have been involved in an armed struggle for a degree of autonomy and self-determination inside Burma. As a result, today almost 110,000 of the Karen people live in 7 refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, located in four provinces. Education is highly valued by the Karen people. It is a key factor in the day to day survival in the refugee camps. The education in the camps, is predominantly the result of the efforts of the Karen refugees themselves. This Education Survey is following two surveys that were conducted respectively in 1995/1996 by the CCSDPT, and in 2000 by ZOA Refugee Care. The main objective of the survey is to describe existing education services provided to the camps. Furthermore the survey intends to identify existing gaps in the education services. Where relevant, the outcomes of this survey will be compared to the results of the previous education survey. In this survey, special attention is given to the perspective of students. Their ideas and opinions are of importance in the effort to form a picture of the current education that is offered in the camps. The interviews for this survey were held between March and August 2002 in all 7 Karen refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border. The Karen people make up more than 80% of the total refugee population living in the camps along the Thai Burma border..."
Creator/author: Jan Lamberink
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care, Thailand
2002-12-00
Date of entry/update: 2007-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.2 MB
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Description: A ZOA Position Paper..."In the context of its Karen Education Project (KEP), ZOA has begun the process of developing specific strategies to address the issue of ‘inclusive education? (or inclusion in education). During a staff workshop held in June 2006, we began this process by discussing the concepts of exclusion and inclusion, and the situation in the education sector in the refugee camps. The staff also openly discussed ZOA?s role in encouraging (and sometimes discouraging) an inclusive approach to education. The main theme that cut across this workshop was that inclusion goes beyond the principle of non-discrimination in service delivery. It is about ‘actively helping the disadvantaged to become less disadvantaged, the excluded to be included, and the voiceless to have a voice?. Another important issue was that inclusion should not be seen as a separate project: it cuts across all our activities and needs to be mainstreamed in these activities. The ZOA inclusion initiative is also very much about ‘awareness?. We asked ourselves to what extent we are aware of our attitudes and behaviour, and the (positive or negative) impacts these might have on the participation of particular groups of people in the activities that we organize. Being aware of the impact of our own attitudes and actions is seen as a crucial starting point in promoting the inclusion of marginalized groups in the camp communities. ZOA is committed to move this process forward, and we have begun by: • carrying out a participatory assessment of the current situation with regards to inclusion in the education sector, i.e., analyzing existing practices and gaps • defining specific strategies to promote inclusive education on the basis of the assessment • translating the strategies into activities to be included in ZOA Activity Plans for 2007 and 2008..."
Creator/author: Liberty Thawda, Marc van der Stouwe, Say Naw, Su-Ann Oh
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care, Thailand
2007-05-00
Date of entry/update: 2007-07-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 472.37 KB
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Description: "...This Education Survey 2005 is the third update on the educational situation in the Karen camps. As in the previous surveys, it provides a general picture of the camp education sector, including demographic indicators, data on enrolment, dropout, and parental involvement, as well as a range of other topics. However, in this survey we wanted to go beyond the execution of just ?another survey?. First of all, we decided to include a broader range of topics in the survey in order to obtain a more complete picture of the camp education system. Secondly, in relation to the strategic direction that ZOA has decided to go in the context of KEP, we wanted a stronger focus on including data in relation to the quality of education. Finally, as far as the process is concerned, we focused on ensuring maximum community involvement in the data collection and analysis process, and making the survey a learning experience for ZOA staff as well as community members. In that sense, the education survey does not only provide a basis for determining capacity-building activities in the future; it has also been a capacity-building intervention in its own right. We believe the survey has contributed to the acquisition of research and analysis skills among local staff as well as camp communities..."
Creator/author: Su-Ann Oh, with, Somchat Ochalumthan, Saw Pla Law La, Johnny Htoo
Source/publisher: ZOA Refugee Care, Thailand
2006-01-00
Date of entry/update: 2006-08-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 863.21 KB
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