An NGO providing assistance to migrant children on the Thai-Burmese border has reached several agreements with the Burmese officials that will allow migrant students to enter government schools in Burma and take matriculation exams.
The Burmese Migrant Workers’ Education Committee (BMWEC) based in Thailand’s Mae Sot met with government officials from Karen state last week in Burma’s Hpa-an town. Karen state’s chief minister Zaw Min agreed to proposals presented by the group to allow students at migrant schools on the border to attend government schools in Burma. The deal will also allow students who are not attending Burmese schools to sit in on matriculation exams.
In Burma, 10th grade-students take matriculation exams that are mandatory for students who wish to study in further education in the country.
“This is a special privilege for migrant students [made] by the chief minister,” said the BMWEC’s director Naw Paw Re.
“We will be providing assistance to students of any race or religion who contact us to register for the matriculation exam – including undocumented students.”
The BMWEC has released a statement following its meeting with the minister, pledging to assist migrant students interested in joining government schools inside Burma or to help individuals register for matriculation exams.
According to the BMWEC’s director, a test exam for migrant students was held on 28 September, which served as a prerequisite for the matriculation exam for the 2012-13 academic year.
