A Participatory Study of 'Qualitative Education' with Mon Ethnic Students in Myanmar

This project aims to understand different discourses of quality education in Myanmar and identify how schooling
contributes and/or creates barriers to developing the capabilities of minority ethnic youths. Using an insider
approach (Savvides, et al., 2014) as a member of the Mon-ethnic minority in Myanmar, this study will ask: How
is quality education understood by Mon ethnic minorities and to what extent does the current quality education
policy in Myanmar reflect the needs and experiences of these ethnic minorities? I will address these questions
through (i) focus groups and in-depth participatory study with Mon secondary students from two schools
(government and Mon School) and (ii) critical discourse analysis of Myanmar education policies.
Theoretical Framework & Rationale:
Tikly (2009) offers three domains to conceptualise quality education in a
post-colonial, low-income context. First, quality education should provide equitable distribution of educational
resources to enable students to sustain their economic capabilities. Secondly, quality education enables diverse
needs and identities to develop students' cultural capabilities for achieving social esteem. Finally, quality
education supports all members of society to participate in the dialogue of 'why and what' capabilities are
necessary for quality education and 'how and who' should be enacted. Tikly's framework suggests that 'quality
education' should not simply rely on policy actors taking accountability in a state-led, predominantly Eurocentric
notion of human capital and rights approaches. Instead, Tikly emphasises the importance of participation in local
decision making to address injustices to disadvantage communities in postcolonial contexts.