Summary
Under military rule in Burma English language instruction was rare. Min Thein Win, a young Burmese who had studied abroad, wanted to make affordable language education available for young people in rural areas. He recognised that this would make a significant difference to further their education and increase employment opportunities.
In 2011 he opened the Mehm Kan Kyi Education Network (MKK) and approached us for assistance with his business proposals. We provided a sounding board for his ideas and advice on applying for grants.
Background
In Burma, public education was consistently underfunded and English language programmes were almost non-existent for decades. More programmes are only recently implemented to improve education.
Proficiency in English greatly benefits students when applying to tertiary educational institutions or for better job opportunities. In 2011 language courses were only found in the cities, beyond the financial or physical reach of young people in rural areas.
Recognising the need for affordable and accessible English programmes outside the cities, Min Thein Win established MKK.
Goals and Results
Since May 2011, five MKK English Language Centres have been opened. These centres use innovative teaching methods developed by Min Thein Win to prepare students to understand academic lectures in English.
The centres train 400 to 500 students per year.
