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

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This project aims to understand different discourses of quality education in Myanmar and identify how schoolingcontributes and/or creates barriers to developing the capabilities of minority ethnic youths. Using an insiderapproach (Savvides, et al., 2014) as a member of the Mon-ethnic minority in Myanmar, this study will ask: Howis quality education understood by Mon ethnic minorities and to what extent does the current quality educationpolicy in Myanmar reflect the needs and experiences of these ethnic minorities? I will address these questionsthrough (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 apost-colonial, low-income context. First, quality education should provide equitable distribution of educationalresources to enable students to sustain their economic capabilities. Secondly, quality education enables diverseneeds and identities to develop students' cultural capabilities for achieving social esteem. Finally, qualityeducation supports all members of society to participate in the dialogue of 'why and what' capabilities arenecessary for quality education and 'how and who' should be enacted. Tikly's framework suggests that 'qualityeducation' should not simply rely on policy actors taking accountability in a state-led, predominantly Eurocentricnotion of human capital and rights approaches. Instead, Tikly emphasises the importance of participation in localdecision making to address injustices to disadvantage communities in postcolonial contexts.