Khun Nay Zar, deputy director of the Kayan National Education Committee (KNEC) said that with 70 schools in Karenni State now teaching in the Kayan mother tongue, about half of the region's schools use this language.
Under the KNEC, 140 schools are in operation with approximately 900 teaching staff employed.“Fifty percent of our schools now use the mother tongue teaching method, while the remaining fifty percent use the more commonly spoken Myanmar language”, Khun Nay Zar elaborated.
Even before the coup, there were plans and initiatives for local schools to teach in the mother tongue, but actual implementation could only be ramped up after 2022, according to KNEC. The KNEC also expressed its aim to promote the teaching of the Kayan language in all schools across the region.
"When we teach in the mother tongue, students understand better, making lessonseasier to grasp. It also enhances communication between students and teachers,fostering smoother interactions”, Khun Nay Zar explained.
KNEC-affiliated schools operate independently from the Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC) and employ their own teaching methods. The IEC curriculum does not currently incorporate the Kayan language as a subject.
