OVERCOMING LINGUISTIC BARRIERS TO EDUCATION IN MYANMAR
Myanmar
UWS Wein Wa School
In the 2022-2023 academic year, UWS supported 196 teachers (75% recruited from the local community) across Shan State, Myanmar. Meet Poe Myat Noe.
“I taught at UWS Wein Wa School during the 2022 academic year. Here the children don’t speak Burmese, rather Palaung.”
Poe Myat Noe, UWS Community Teacher
Her World
As a child, all Poe Myat Noe wanted to become when she grew up was a nurse. She was inspired to work with and help others. Although she was unable to realise this dream, she turned her desire to work with children into a new passion: teaching.
Poe Myat Noe, began her teaching career in a self-established school in Na Baw in rural Shan State of Myanmar. This school became UWS Na Baw School in 2019. Since then, Poe Myat Noe has taught in various UWS Schools across Kyaing Tong District, lending her skills as an excellent teacher to each school community. She spent the last year teaching at UWS Wein Wa School in Tachileik District, which she reflects on here.
“Initially I found it very challenging. However, with the guidance and encouragement of my UWS Education Officer, I tried different teaching and learning methods”.
Poe Myat Noe, UWS Community Teacher
“I taught at UWS Wein Wa School during the 2022 academic year. Here the children don’t speak Burmese, in Wein Wa village the community is made of Palaung and Mong people – very few members speak Burmese. I also can’t speak their language. When I asked them to repeat after me in Burmese, all the students responded the same way, like rote learning.
Initially I found this very challenging. However, with the guidance and encouragement of my UWS Education Officer, I tried different teaching and learning methods. The children have made significant progress!” shared Poe Myat Noe.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
With over 135 different languages spoken across Myanmar, the linguistic barriers to education which Poe Myat Noe overcame at UWS Wein Wa are far from unique. On occasions when UWS is unable to recruit community teachers who can speak both the local language and Burmese, we place experienced community teachers, like Poe Myat Noe, in these schools to boost learning of Burmese (the language of the education system) and support the children’s education.
We’re immensely grateful to teachers like Poe Myat Noe for their dedication and hard work.
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