Located in North Dagon (near Dagon University) the school is first step to escape from the bureaucratic education system corrupted under the military. We supplement the current compulsory curriculum with training and lectures around diversity, tolerance and a move away from the teacher centred brainwashing approach used in state schools.
We had around150 students last academic year but this has been reduced to 40 during the summer classes as many of the kids are from poor families and have to work jobs or at their family's business.
The school is run by donations from YOU!
The funds will cover the rent and repairs on the building which is due in August, we have to pay for 6 months in advance, it’s just the way things are here. We plan to expand, found a community library, run a summer school and weekly events such as discussion groups, film nights and debate clubs.
We need money in the immediate term to “keep the lights on” and pay the rent. We will use any extra funds for resources as basic as computers, internet connection and projectors.
Any contribution you make goes a long way here. This is a country where up until recently you could be in big trouble with the government for doing what we are doing.
If you want to get in touch or contribute in another way, please see
our FB pages:
For the school:
https://web.facebook.com/Doh-Kyoun-Thar-Free-Education-Center-1605400729726031/
For the RSC:
https://web.facebook.com/Revolutionary-Student-Collective-267652743425169/?fref=ts
We look forward to hearing form you soon! ;-)
From the Revolutionary Student Collective - The Doh Kyoun Thar philosophy…
Founded at the end of 2014 during the Democratic Education Struggle in Burma, the Revolutionary Student Collective is a radical leftist network organised by students in Yangon. Its aim is to work to promote and develop the radical leftist student platform in Burma. Our current activities include the Democratic Education Initiatives, Weekly Study Clubs, The Doh Kyoun Thar Free Education Centre and The Anti-Racist Action Group (which fights against religious discrimination directed at minority ethnic people and refugees). We’re also planning to found an info-shop as an International Platform and a safe place for Activists. This will be a community centre, cafe and library to support funding for the DKT Free Education Centre.
The military regime has totally destroyed the education system in Burma over the past 6 decades through centralisation and dramatically reducing the education budget. Education in Burma is only geared towards getting a good job with a good salary. This is OK for the post 20th Century generation. Most people don’t know what they want to do with their lives when they go through school, though the military government claims that the modern state is founded on education.
Big words - but the reality is that all they do is force you to memorise text books and write rote learned answers in your exams with the intention of killing your creativity and critical thinking.
The only outcome of the 1988 and 2007 uprisings was that the junta changed its name from the overty military State Peace and Development Council to a so-called "civilian" goverment. They held sham/bogus/nominal elections in 2010 based on an undemocratic constitution. As well as democracy, education has been the victim. At the end of 2014 the “new” parliament enacted the National Education Bill. The new bill included none of the students’ demand of:
-Autonomy from central government
-20% annual budget ringfenced for Education
-Mother- tongue education for minority ethnic groups
and some students are still behind bars from the resulting protests.
Instead of increasing the public education budget, the junta encouraged investment in private universities. There is nothing we can do to change this. It’s too risky to protest or strike again as our numbers are depleted and the majority of people don’t care because they are more worried about the Transition.
Although we didn’t achieve education reform we still continue to fight. Educating the coming generationis the most important investment in the future of our society, the generation of the 21st Century. For this reason we founded the Doh Kyoun Thar Free Education Centre.