MYANMAR

THE ALL CHILDREN IN SCHOOL PROJECT

IN MYANMAR

Erik Bentzen[1]

The All Children in School (ACIS) Project is attempting to improve primary education in Myanmar and dramatically increase enrolment levels and completion rates through decentralised, local management of primary schools. Critical to the success of the ACIS Project is the mobilisation of the local community, the use of student-centred teaching and managing schools through a cluster system. Erik Bentzen explains the context, components and constraints of the project.

BACKGROUND___________________________________________________

T

he All Children in School (ACIS) Project addresses major factors constraining progress toward national goals for the education sector: primary school enrolment and completion rates of 100 and 80 percent respectively by the year 2000. These goals are challenging ones. According to official estimates, as many as 23 percent of school-age children never enrol in primary school.[2] In other words, out of an estimated 1.3 million students who are eligible to enrol in kindergarten each year, over 300,000 never begin school. Moreover, about 750,000 children drop out of primary school each year. The overwhelming majority are rural students, who reportedly drop out at a rate of 630,000 annually. Most drop out during the first two years, and in many areas more girls appear to drop out than boys.

Out of every 100 students who begin primary school, on average only 34 complete the five-year cycle.[3] However, large variations in enrolment and retention occur across the 14 states and divisions of Myanmar, with a high retention of about 42 percent in Chin State and a low retention of about 26 percent in Kayah State.

The 1983 census found that out of the total primary school-age population (i.e., children five to nine years old), about 39 percent did not attend school. A Primary School Age Non-Enrolment Gap Survey confirmed that close to 39 percent of school-aged children never enrol.[4] Furthermore, 26 percent of parents interviewed identified poverty and the inability of parents to pay for their children's school expenses as major causes of non-enrolment. A more recent survey found that about 23 percent of five-year old children do not enrol in school.[5] Although primary school attendance is free in Myanmar, parents incur significant expenses in sending their children to school. These costs include textbooks, uniforms, exercise books, stationery, a yearly contribution to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) fund, and ad hoc contributions for school improvement.

In another study, 31 percent of respondents mentioned the family's financial status as an important cause of drop-outs.[6] Many parents, teachers and township education officials also cited parents' lack of awareness of the value of education and lack of community support as important factors. In fact, no one assumes responsibility at the community level for ensuring that all children actually participate in primary education. Heads of schools and teachers focus their attention on those who are enrolled, and seldom work directly with families whose children are out of school. Similarly, local administrators, community leaders, religious leaders and even assistant township education officers (ATEOs) do not promote and facilitate participation in primary school.

. . . [M]any families are unable to meet basic costs for sending their children to school and keeping them there. Furthermore, the poor qua-lity of teaching and learning methods, lack of basic learning materials, and over-crowded, in-adequate facilities may prevent many students from completing school.

Among school relat-ed causes of drop-outs, lack of basic learning materials as well as poor teaching and learn-ing methods were cited by 24 percent of interviewees in the 1992 study con-ducted by the Department of Basic Education and UNICEF. As noted above, schools are unable to provide free textbooks to many children, and prices are very high on the open market. Student/teacher ratios are high because over two-thirds of all primary schools are understaffed, and two-thirds of all teachers currently in service are untrained. Rote learning and exam-based teaching have long been the norm in Myanmar, and children’s promotion to the next grade is determined solely by their performance on a comprehensive year-end exam designed to test recall of numerous facts rather than critical thinking and problem solving. Realistic minimum learning competencies have not been defined for each grade of primary school, and teachers are not in the habit of identifying students at risk of failure or dropping out.

A survey conducted in 1991 found that about 57 percent of primary schools were overcrowded as a result of inadequate facilities, including lack of basic furniture.[7] One-third of the buildings had exceeded their design lifespan, and a quarter needed major maintenance and repair. The problem of inadequate facilities is particularly acute in rural areas.

In summary, data from several studies strongly support the notion that many families are unable to meet basic costs for sending their children to school and keeping them there. Furthermore, the poor quality of teaching and learning methods, lack of basic learning materials, and overcrowded, inadequate facilities may prevent many students from completing school.

Components of the Project

ACIS is designed to accelerate enrolment of school-age children and help them complete the five-year cycle by addressing the problems outlined in the preceding section. Initiated in 1994, it has evolved over the past few years to incorporate elements of another UNICEF-assisted project, initiated in 1991, that focuses on improving the quality of primary education; the Continuous Assessment and Progress System. The revised ACIS model therefore addresses both in-school and out-of-school factors constraining progress toward national education goals. It is currently implemented in approximately 7,700 disadvantaged rural schools in 18 townships, with an estimated student population of 350,000.


The revised ACIS model includes the following interventions:

ACIS is designed to accelerate enrolment of school-age children and help them com-plete the five-year cycle by addressing . . . both in-school and out-of-school factors constraining progress toward national edu-cation goals.

· A rapid survey of primary school participation in project villages, including identification of the most effective incentives for promoting full participation among poor students.

· A community mobilisa-tion campaign aimed at school enrolment.

· Empowerment of vil-lage leaders, PTA members, heads of schools and primary teachers through training and orientation.

· Incentives for poor students, including free textbooks and exercise books, exemption from all school fees and collections, and school lunches.

· Preparation of teachers for more effective teaching, learning and man-agement of primary school classrooms.

· Development of appropriate teaching, learning and classroom management materials for use by head teachers, teachers and supervisors in project schools.

· Incentives for teachers, including supplementary teaching-learning materials, textbooks, and stationery.

· Incentives for schools, including basic teaching aids and, subject to their performance in meeting annual project targets, construction materials for classroom extensions and sanitary latrines.

· Strengthening of the cluster system for more effective school management.

· A monitoring and evaluation system implemented by national, state, division, and local officials.

THE

INNOVATIONS___________________________________________________

ACIS promotes decentralised or local management of education through a variety of innovations.

Decentralised teacher-training: Myanmar has a very limited number of teacher-training institutions, and only about one-third of all teachers undergo pre-service training. Under the revised ACIS Project, an initial two-week training course is organised at the zone level, with approximately five zones per township (there are a total of 324 townships in Myanmar). The training focuses on effective teaching and learning methods in multiple-grade teaching situations, how to assess students’ learning progress and achievement in the areas of language and mathematics, the teaching of basic nutrition and health, and how to identify students, particularly girls, who are at risk of failing or dropping out. The initial training is followed by two brief, quarterly refresher training sessions at the cluster level (each cluster consists of 5 to 10 village schools located near each other).

Decentralised project implementation and monitoring through the Community-based Educational Development Association (CEDA): Through the ACIS Project, Myanmar’s first non-governmental organisation for primary education has been established. Where township chapters of CEDA are present, its staff help organise training for PTAs at the district level (between the township and cluster levels), support the collection of baseline data and target setting, raise community awareness of major issues in primary education and facilitate meetings between PTAs within school clusters.

School management through clusters: In the past, schools and teachers functioned with little or no support or supervision. Primary school head teachers focused almost exclusively on administrative matters, and ATEOs attempted to act as inspectors of as many as 75-100 primary schools. With the ACIS Project, management efficiencies are achieved through the creation of clusters consisting of 5 to 10 schools located near each other. Head teachers and ATEOs are trained to provide support and supervision through clusters. In this way, schools disseminate successful innovations and experiences, teachers undergo refresher training, resources (books, materials and equipment) are distributed and shared, and data collection is strengthened.

Community mobilisation and participation: In the past, the role of PTAs was confined to fund-raising for construction, maintenance and extension of school buildings. For this project, PTAs collect baseline data with the help of enumerators, set annual enrolment and retention targets in consultation with teachers and head teachers, conduct house-to-house advocacy with parents of unenroled children, manage the construction of sanitary latrines and safe water supply systems for schools, provide incentives to encourage needy children to participate in school, and engage in income generating activities to help pay for such incentives.

Continuous assessment and student-centred teaching: Under the revised ACIS Project, standardised year-end examinations that determine whether or not a child progresses to the next grade are abolished. Instead, teachers use a variety of assessment techniques – both formal and informal – to track children’s learning achievements and identify those who are at risk of failing or dropping out. Under the heading of formal assessment, teachers develop and administer their own exams throughout the school year. The project also introduces student-centred approaches to teaching. Interactive, hands-on activities are encouraged, and teachers develop their own teaching and learning aids, using low-cost, locally available materials.

IMPACT_________________________________________________________

The project is implemented by the Department of Basic Education in co-operation with local PTAs and local chapters of CEDA.

Elaboration of Major Project Activities

Establish baseline information and targets: A rapid survey including focus group discussions is conducted in selected representative townships and villages in order to understand relevant community attitudes and behaviour and to determine the most effective incentives for encouraging families and communities to support primary education for all children, particularly girls. Staff from the CEDA township offices also help organise and implement baseline data collection on the number of school-age children in ACIS townships.

Annual targets are set for increasing enrolment and retention at the township and school levels. Together with ATEOs, local village authorities act as focal points for collecting basic demographic data and for establishing baseline figures on enrolment and non-enrolment in accordance with the goals and targets set in the National Programme of Action for the Survival, Protection and Development of Myanmar’s Children in the 1990's (NPA).

At the school level, the head primary teacher and the PTA are responsible for monitoring progress vis-à-vis the annual targets, including increases in primary school participation rates and the number of children benefiting from the project. Primary school participation and completion rates for each of the participating townships are also monitored through the ACIS Project.

Conduct a national social mobilisation campaign: On the basis of a rapid survey, a communication strategy for mobilising communities is designed and implemented. The following groups are targeted: decision- and policy-makers at the central level, township education officers, community and religious leaders, heads of schools, primary school teachers, PTAs and parents.

[Media messages] stress the right of all children to a primary education and the various benefits deriving from basic education, including im-proved health, nutrition and enhanced em-ployment opportunities. The messages also em-phasize the role community members can play in seeing that all school-age children attend primary school regularly and complete the five-year cycle.

A low-cost video documentary will be produced in order to highlight the magni-tude of the non-enrolment problem among primary school-age children in rural communities as well as strategies and actions necessary for meeting the NPA goals. The documen-tary will be used as a tool for advocacy with education officials, general administra-tion, NGOs and ex-ternal donors. The project is also reach-ing rural communities via well-designed TV spots disseminated through the hundreds of video parlours around the country. The daily newspaper and an education journal will be used for communicating information to local leaders, heads of schools and township education officials. Messages are short, direct, humorous and informative. They stress the right of all children to a primary education and the various benefits deriving from basic education, including improved health, nutrition and enhanced employment opportunities. The messages also emphasise the role community members can play in seeing that all school-age children attend primary school regularly and complete the five-year cycle.

Empower local communities: The community mobilisation strategy includes short, practical training and orientation sessions. Village leaders and PTA members learn techniques for mobilising parents, including relevant organisational, management and interpersonal skills. CEDA staff facilitate these activities. Guidelines are also provided on how to administer the selection of poor students for exemption or subsidisation of schooling costs. The training/orientation sessions also empower PTAs to motivate poor families to send their children to school through, for example, provision of free daily school lunches. Poor students receive free lunches while the majority of students pay a small amount for them.

Complementary short training and orientation sessions at the township level are also conducted for primary school heads and teachers. These sessions focus on the role of heads of schools and teachers in working with parents to enrol hard-to-reach students, and on specific measures for preventing drop-outs and ensuring the timely progression of students through the five-year cycle.

Prepare head and primary school teachers for new roles within schools and clusters: As mentioned above, a two-week training course for primary school teachers emphasises practical training, followed by two short quarterly refresher training sessions at the cluster level. ATEOs help organise these training activities.