Siege of Myanmar trade town makes misery for schoolchildren

15 Sept 09:29 Key points summarised by AI

Fierce fighting between Myanmar's military junta and opposition forces for control of a lucrative trade route in Kyondoe town is severely disrupting education and endangering schoolchildren.
Children are regularly forced to flee schools due to shells and aerial attacks, with teachers and parents expressing profound fear and despair over the constant violence and its impact on their future.
The ongoing conflict has displaced over three million people, nearly 40% of whom are children, highlighting the widespread humanitarian crisis and the extreme vulnerability of the youngest population to the civil war.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Yesterday 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.