Education helps children to fulfil their potential and is critical to all aspects of socio-economic development. However, it is estimated that over one million children are still out of school in Myanmar due to poverty, geographical remoteness, disability, language, conflict and other barriers.

A Comprehensive Education Sector Review (CESR) had been informing new policy and planning, and a National Education Sector Plan (NESP) was being developed to define the strategic directions of the reform process and to guide its implementation.

Education coordination is mainly undertaken through:

The Joint Education Sector Working Group (JESWG), which is the high level mechanism for policy dialogue and coordination of development partners in the education sector, co-chaired by UNICEF and Australia.

The Education Thematic Working Group (ETWG) brings together education stakeholders across the country in an inclusive, neutral space for dialogue on technical issues. Chaired by UNICEF and Save the Children, the ETWG also oversees the coordination of Humanitarian Response for the education sector. The ETWG is supported by the Myanmar Quality Basic Education Programme (QBEP), which is funded by the Multi Donor Education Fund (MDEF) comprising Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom, and by UNICEF. It has a number of thematic Sub-Working Groups, contact details for which can be found on the MIMU Coordination page:

• Disaster Preparedness and Response in Education (Co-Chairs: UNESCO, Plan International)
• Early Childhood Care and Development (Co-Chairs: UNICEF, Save the Children)
• Education and Disability (Co-Chairs: Myanmar Education Consortium, VSO)
• Education in Emergencies (Co-Chairs: UNICEF, Save the Children)
• Teacher Education (Co-chairs: UNICEF, British Council)
• Education and Language (Co-Chairs: UNICEF, Pyoe Pin)
• Non-Formal Education (Co-Chairs: World Education, World Vision)
• School Construction (Co-Chairs: Swiss Development Cooperation, World Vision)
• A new group on Monastic Education is planned for early 2015.