[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1164, 313], "category": "Text", "text": "contribute to mitigating the effects of conflict on children. The action contributes to the realisation of EU's GAP III, in particular regarding the 'Thematic area - Promoting economic and social rights and empowering girls and women' This action will be implemented in partnership with other Development Partners, including International NGO and local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), that through their engagement at community level should contribute to the assessments of local contexts through consultations with communities, contributing to a conflict sensitive approach, by ensuring that a context appropriate set of interventions is proposed."}, {"bbox": [85, 325, 341, 357], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 373, 1164, 742], "category": "Text", "text": "While official enrolment and attendance figures are not available, the available information suggests that after a long period of school closure with limited access to organised learning many children and youth remain without access to basic education. After almost two years of school closures due to COVID-19, de facto MoE schools have reopened in November 2021. However, the limited available data sources indicate that only low numbers of children have gone back to school, with enrolment and attendance rates varying significantly across the different regions of Myanmar. According to unofficial data around 4.7 million children were enrolled in government basic education schools (primary, middle, and high schools) as of 22 November 2021¹⁵ with lower attendance. The information regarding barriers to access to education is also limited, but according to an EiE needs assessment conducted in November 2021, the main barriers preventing children accessing formal primary and secondary school were security concerns due to conflict, fear of COVID-19, reluctance of parents to send their children to school following the coup, limitation in the number of schools/classrooms that reopened, and financial barriers. Further analysis and in particular localised analysis would be required to better understand the barriers faced by children to access basic education, which vary between different geographical areas and specific locations, including gender related barriers affecting girls and boys in the current context."}, {"bbox": [96, 770, 1164, 903], "category": "Text", "text": "Exams were cancelled during the 2020-21 academic year due to school closures. The number of children who signed up for the matriculation exams for the 2021-2022 academic year was significantly lower than the previous years, as it showed a decrease of more than two-thirds from two years earlier, and also marked the first decline in registrants in the last seven years. There are also geographical variations in participation in the matriculation exams. In the southeast, data showed a decrease of 38% in Kayin and 47% in Mon State from the 2019-2020 school year¹⁶."}, {"bbox": [96, 928, 1164, 1116], "category": "Text", "text": "There is limited data regarding the effective functioning of de facto MoE schools. The available information however suggests a teachers shortage following the coup, as a number of teachers participate in the civil disobedience movement (CDM), and 125 900 basic education teachers were reported as suspended from their duties, which is estimated to represent 31% of basic education staff.¹⁷ While it was indicated that nearly 7 000 new teachers had been appointed to make up for the shortfall¹⁸, it was also stated that some teachers had not returned to work due to social disturbances and fear for their safety. Many of the teachers may in addition not be sufficiently equipped to handle a 'condensed curriculum' necessary for the catch up on learning and attend to students' well-being."}, {"bbox": [96, 1141, 1164, 1222], "category": "Text", "text": "Available information also suggests a lack of sufficient learning materials for the children who are attending formal, ethnic, faith-based and community schools for this school year. Children face a lack of learning materials to use at home, and limited connectivity to the internet as a result of power cuts and a lack of access to devices."}, {"bbox": [96, 1247, 1164, 1380], "category": "Text", "text": "Furthermore, the dual crisis of conflict and COVID-19 continues to have a toll on the mental health and wellbeing of children, communities and education personnel across Myanmar. In addition to missing out on foundational skills of literacy, numeracy and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), prolonged school closure and the impact of the current highly unstable context in Myanmar has disrupted access to health, nutrition and child protection services provided by schools."}, {"bbox": [96, 1404, 1164, 1460], "category": "Text", "text": "The education sector in government-controlled areas¹⁹ of Myanmar has been historically dependent on a largely centralized government system, and communities are not currently sufficiently equipped to support children that are"}, {"bbox": [85, 1513, 454, 1536], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁵ Obtained unofficially. The data is not verified."}, {"bbox": [85, 1537, 408, 1559], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁶ Data from State Education Departments."}, {"bbox": [85, 1559, 991, 1582], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁷ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/more-than-125000-myanmar-teachers-suspended-opposing-coup-2021-05-"}, {"bbox": [85, 1581, 821, 1603], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁸ Press release from 16/11/21 issued by Ministry of Information, Union Government of Myanmar"}, {"bbox": [85, 1603, 1143, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁹ In non-government-controlled areas (NGCAs), education is provided through a range of non-state education service providers such as monastic schools and ethnic education working groups and departments."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 25"}]