Indigenous Education as Self-determination
The Karen Education and Culture Department (KECD) of the Karen National Union has been implementing a student-centered, democratic pedagogy for students in its schools, in contrast with the Myanmar government’s authoritarian approach. In this research, Saw Ni Thaw Htoo examines how education is being used as a tool for both emancipation and cultural preservation through ethnographic fieldwork in KECD schools in Taungoo District, where a curriculum deeply rooted in Karen history, language, and culture has been designed to resist assimilation. The researcher also looks in depth at how KECD education fosters critical thinking, collaborative learning, and democratic values, empowering students and promoting community resilience, examining the role of education in ethnic conflict and nation-building.
- THEME
- Ethnic Politics