ThaiNGO

Terms of Reference

Consultancy for Research to Assess Education Access for Vulnerable Children in Kayin State, Myanmar 

Project Titles: BEST, PREPS & QUEST Projects

 Background

Refugee Return and Reintegration

After fleeing to Thailand in 1984, refugees from Myanmar have lived in Thailand for more than 30 years.   The new government has been in power in Myanmar since 2016, and there is some hope that this might be the time for refugees to return home.

The preparedness for refugee return is taking place in the nine (9) temporary shelters along the Thai-Myanmar border.  Education preparedness is vital to the relevance of education services in the refugee camps in Thailand – as the education in the refugee camps is not formally recognized by either government - Thailand or Myanmar.  The Thai government allows non –governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide basic services for refugee children in the 9 temporary shelters.  Since 2013, Save the Children has been providing basic education for 35,000 children.

Regarding refugee return and integration, one of the key issues is continuity of refugee children’s education in Myanmar after they return. Due to the differences of curriculum, language of instruction, teaching and learning style/method - there will be challenges for refugee children to be enrolled in Myanmar government schools.

There may be different challenges regarding refugee return and integration to Karen Teachers Work Group (KTWG) affiliated schools, (community schools and mixed schools). In this case, the language of instruction, teaching and learning style/method, and curriculum will be more familiar. However, these schools struggle with less resources and tend to rely on community contributions to operate – an increased scale of refugee return may lead to tension.

Save the Children would like to further understand refugee return and integration particularly as it relates to children’s access to quality basic education services in South-East Myanmar.  There were 71 refugees who returned in 2016 and there will be 247 refugees returning in 2017.  This study aims to better understand experiences of enrollment procedures for returning refugee students; helpful assistance in the return and integration process, as well as identify any difficulties and obstacles that may occur. The findings will be used to inform discussions with stakeholders; and the design of improved refugee education transition programs and processes.

Over-age, Out-of-School Children

Save the Children Thailand began a close partnership with the Karen Teachers Work Group (KTWG) starting in 2014. Over the three year ACCESS project, through the support of KTWG over 88,190 Out-of-School Children (OOSC) were (re)enrolled in Karen areas of South East Myanmar. In the final evaluation of the ACCESS project it was noted that both in the context of the refugee camps in Thailand and in Karen areas of South East Myanmar – older OOSC, particularly those who had not attended primary school, were especially hard to reach.

The study will aim to better understand the population of overage OOSC in selected areas of South East Myanmar and especially any returning refugee children who experienced interruptions to education in the refugee camps or who may have opted out of formal schooling for other reasons. The findings of the study will inform a pilot non-formal education program.

Purpose of the Study

Objective 1: A study on returning refugee children and youth to assess their access to education in Myanmar (mixed, gov’t, and community schools). This will include an assessment of enablers as well as barriers to each type of school system and for various age groups/student levels.

Deliverables: (1) research report; (2) recommendations on programming to address barriers

Potential area of return and pilot project study sites

Objective 2: A study on ‘older’ OOSC in Kayin State to assess their options/pathways back into education. This will include an assessment of enablers as well as barriers to formal and non-formal education. [NOTE that there may be some overlap in study subjects if some older OOSC are also returning refugees. 

Deliverables: (1) research report; (2) recommendations on NFE programming needed to address access challenges

Duration of the Project

*The next return group is likely to move around February 2018, the study will follow their experiences of return and integration.

Preparation work will commence in late 2017. Around twenty (20) days of field work and twenty (20) days remote work in anticipated between late 2017 to early 2018. 

A draft work plan must be agreed during the first two weeks of the consultancy

Methodology

The methodology will be jointly developed by the consultant, Save the Children, and KTWG. The field work will be conducted in partnership with KTWG as it relates to their affiliated schools and communities in Kayin state. As this is a hard to reach population in the past Save the Children has utilized snowball sampling methods and a series of key informant interviews.

Deliverables and Expected Outcomes

Consultant Qualifications:

• At least 3 years of experience working on refugee or ethnic education issues
• Thorough understanding of refugee or ethnic education issues
• Experience at the school level on solutions to include migrant and refugee children
• Proven experience in refugee transition
• Master’s Degree qualification in education, education research, social research or other related field
• Proven research ability and accomplishment (involvement in at least three research projects similar in scope to this project).
• Previous experience with accelerated learning programs desirable
• Understanding of Myanmar Education System is preferable
• Ability to speak relevant languages will be preferable

Management

The consultant will be managed by Save the Children’s Senior Education Specialist.