My name is Jwee and I am from Shan State. I am the eldest of three siblings. My parents are farmers and could not support all of us through school. I had to sell vegetables from our farm every day to buy stationery. When I was in Grade 9, my grandmother urged me to stop going to school, saying it was a waste of time, and suggested I go to Thailand as a migrant worker instead.
After passing the matriculation exam, my uncle suggested I apply to the English Access Micro Scholarship Program at Naung Taung Monastic School. I was selected as an access student. From Monday to Friday, I taught Grade 2 students, and on weekends I studied English as an access student. The pocket money I earned helped me pay for my own tuition fees at university.
My village is in an impoverished mountainous region where parents spend most of their time worrying about earning a living and have little time to devote to their children’s education. I wanted to create a program for children like me — children who love to read, learn, and explore. I wanted to give them something I wished I had growing up in a village so far from the nearest town that even buying a book was a challenge.
Wanting to learn more about teaching, I moved to Yangon and became a preschool teacher. After more than five years of teaching, I reached out to a few teacher friends to organize a summer program for children and young people in my village. We met at a tea shop to discuss lesson plans and other details. We chose a local government school for the program, got permission from the village chairperson, and visited parents in nearby villages to spread the word. On the first day, 80 students showed up. By the second week, there were over 100.
About Jwee
- Age: 30
- Ethnicity: Pa O
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Asia-Pacific International University
- Master’s, Curriculum & Instruction
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Become an informal educator
- Travel to Tibet
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $7,775
- Amount Left To Fund: $7,450
- Contract Duration: 13 years
- Status: In Repayment
As the program touched on parenting themes, I reached out to Myint Thar Foundation for partnership. Together, we launched a parenting club where parents shared their own approaches to raising children and explored new ideas together.
The more I shared with the community, the more I felt the need to study further so I could offer something more substantial. I have decided to pursue a Master’s Program in Curriculum and Instruction at Asia Pacific International University in Thailand. This program appeals to me because it is not available in Myanmar, where rote memorization and even physical discipline are still widely seen as effective ways to educate children. I hope to learn about teaching theories and research on learning and pedagogy, and to put that knowledge into practice as an educator. Beyond the classroom, I also hope to use what I learn to advocate for meaningful policy changes in education in Myanmar.
Written by Jwee with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Jwee
“I wanted to create a program for children like me — children who love to read, learn, and explore. I wanted to give them something I wished I had growing up in a village so far from the nearest town that even buying a book was a challenge.”
