From Conflict to Classroom: Understanding School-Community-Family Partnerships in conflict-affect Myanmar

Authors

  • Lugyi Education Department

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18533/8062pr96

Abstract

This study explores how schools, communities, and families in Pekon Township, Myanmar, collaborate to sustain education amidst conflict. Being confronted with challenges including violence and displacement, Pekon township has witnessed the establishment of over 80 community schools, providing education to over 12,000 students. The study explores through interviews and group discussions uncovering strategies such as flexible learning schedules, emotional well-being support, and community-led initiatives to ensure students' educational and emotional well-being. The findings highlight the importance of resilience, adaptive learning, and local leadership in overcoming educational barriers. This research contributes valuable insights into sustaining education in conflict-affected areas, emphasizing the critical role of community involvement and innovative practices in navigating adversity.

References

Conflict Watchlist 2024 | Myanmar: Resistance to the Military Junta Gains Momentum - ACLED. (2024, January 18). ACLED. https://acleddata.com/conflict-watchlist-2024/myanmar/

de Jong, J. T. (2020). Family interventions and armed conflict. Cross-Cultural Family Research and Practice, 437–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-815493-9.00015-6

Dryden-Peterson, S. (2011). Conflict , Education and Displacement. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Conflict-%2C-Education-and-Displacement-Dryden-Peterson/08968047113efcad3c17b4d3c9c4a6c252d74039

elevenmyanmar.com. (2023, May 31). Retrieved from elevenmyanmar.com: https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/over-58-million-students-enrolled-across-myanmar-on-may-23-29

Epstein, J. L. (2010, November). School/Family/Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(3), 81–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171009200326

Hazer, L., & Gredebäck, G. (2023, December 5). The effects of war, displacement, and trauma on child development. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02438-8

Herrenkohl, L. R., Napolitan, K., Herrenkohl, T. I., Kazemi, E., McAuley, L., & Phelps, D. (2019, November). Navigating Fragility and Building Resilience: A School–University Partnership to Support the Development of a Full-Service Community School. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 121(12), 1–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811912101203

Holling, C. S. (1973, November). Resilience and Stability of Ecological Systems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 4(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.04.110173.000245

ispmyanmar.com. (2023, Feb 2). Retrieved from ispmyanmar.com: https://ispmyanmar.com/community/insight-emails/ie-08/?fbclid=IwAR1AZs1rP_Wdl2qdAOEEApCqnLn8F9iSIh_pTN3WY7cWBLrH0WmQ9tqI-KU

Kates, C. E. (2001). School-family-community partnership. Rowan University. Retrieved from https://rdw.rowan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2576&context=etd

Manuchehr, T. (2011). Education right of children during war and armed conflicts. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 302–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.03.090

Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56(3), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.227

MASTEN, A. S., & OBRADOVIĆ, J. (2006, December). Competence and Resilience in Development. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1094(1), 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1376.003

Myanmar situation. (2024). Global Focus. https://reporting.unhcr.org/operational/situations/myanmar-situation

Nicolai, S. (2003). The role of education in protecting children in conflict. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-role-of-education-in-protecting-children-in-Nicolai-Triplehorn/7c88695d3434086c2d2e9bec5954c141172a026f

Norris, F. H., Stevens, S. P., Pfefferbaum, B., Wyche, K. F., & Pfefferbaum, R. L. (2007, December 22). Community Resilience as a Metaphor, Theory, Set of Capacities, and Strategy for Disaster Readiness. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1–2), 127–150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-007-9156-6

O’Neil, S. (2018). Cradled by Conflict: Child Involvement with Armed Groups in Contemporary Conflict. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Cradled-by-Conflict%3A-Child-Involvement-with-Armed-O’Neil-Broeckhoven/488a419be6873cde421704dd2f030a177a9b98e5

Pann, C. (2023, November 4). Myanmar: studying under fire. FairPlanet. https://www.fairplanet.org/story/myanmar-junta-airstrikes-schools/

Pherali, T. (2016, August 26). School leadership during violent conflict: rethinking education for peace in Nepal and beyond. Comparative Education, 52(4), 473–491. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050068.2016.1219538

San, S. (2022, June 9). Beyond the Coup in Myanmar: Don’t Let the Light of Education Be Extinguished. Just Security. https://www.justsecurity.org/76921/beyond-the-coup-in-myanmar-dont-let-the-light-of-education-be-extinguished/

Shah, R. (2015, December). Protecting children in a situation of ongoing conflict: Is resilience sufficient as the end product? International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 14, 179–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2015.06.003

Shah, R., Paulson, J., & Couch, D. (2019, December 18). The Rise of Resilience in Education in Emergencies. Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, 14(3), 303–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/17502977.2019.1694390

Shankar Misra, K. (2020, December). Peace Education: A Challenge for Educators. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research, 2(2), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2020.v2.n2.id1055.p9

Sharifian, M. (2019). Teachers in War Zone Education: Literature Review and Implications. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Teachers-in-War-Zone-Education%3A-Literature-Review-Sharifian-Kennedy/ef9c246b0fc9241c1a6438ef0b5ec4df0dc1b2cd

Sheridan, S. M., Kunz, G. M., Holmes, S. R., & Witte, A. L. (2016, October 13). Family-School Partnerships in Rural Communities: Benefits, Exemplars, and Future Research. Springer eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42940-3_14

Silwal, S. (2016). Resilience amidst conflict? The effect of civil war exposure on secondary education. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Resilience-amidst-conflict-The-effect-of-civil-war-Silwal/6017a443afa7a20fd5b182ce3ebd167c9a07534a

Smith, A. (2014). Contemporary Challenges for Education in Conflict Affected Countries. Journal of International and Comparative Education, 3(1), 113–125. https://doi.org/10.14425/00.62.86

Smyth, I. (1999). Education in conflict. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Education-in-conflict.-Smyth/fd8a8474b25e9e6502a02604303767a8e349c443

Sommers, M. (2002). Children, education and war : reaching Education for All (EFA) objectives in countries affected by conflict. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Children%2C-education-and-war-%3A-reaching-Education-in-Sommers/00348459d1f90bd05a9404e200dbc3183b573019

Tol, W. A., Song, S., & Jordans, M. J. D. (2013, February 15). Annual Research Review: Resilience and mental health in children and adolescents living in areas of armed conflict – a systematic review of findings in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(4), 445–460. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12053

Vega, L., & Bajaj, M. (2016, June 30). The right to education in protracted conflict: teachers’ experiences in non-formal education in Colombia. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 14(3), 358–373. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2015.1121380

Wanjiru, J. (2019, January 3). Post-conflict reconstruction: Negotiating school leadership practice for inclusive education of conflict-affected children in Kenya. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 48(3), 496–513. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143218817554

Wanjiru, J. (2019, November 14). School leadership and post-conflict education: How can their roles in developing inclusive practices in post-conflict schooling be understood and conceptualized? Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 49(1), 145–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143219884693

Wessells, M. G. (1998, September). Children, Armed Conflict, and Peace. Journal of Peace Research, 35(5), 635–646. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343398035005006

Wessells, M. G. (2017, February). Children and armed conflict: Interventions for supporting war-affected children. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 23(1), 4–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000227

Published

2024-07-12