Education And Identity Of Myanmar Migrant Children In Samut Sakhon Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the educational status and identity of Myanmar migrant children in Samut Sakhon Province and to analyze the different roles and influences of formal and informal educational models on these children’s identity. For Myanmar migrant children who live in Thailand, due to their living environment are different from their parents, they seem to face identity challenges. The analysis of the identifying characteristics of Myanmar migrant children is not only contributing to the understanding of the current situation of Myanmar migrant children in Thailand but also can broaden the understanding about the factors that influence the attitude and behavior of this group in social integration. The lack of official documents, social protection and education is a common phenomenon for those children. In response to these problems, the Thai government and local authorities have provided assistance and support to them to a certain extent. The research shows that in theory, the right of Myanmar migrant children to enter school is indeed guaranteed. However, in real life, whether these children can successfully enter school and whether they can receive higher education does not depend on the policy makers and implementers, the opportunities are subjected to material and social constraints. In addition, they should more or less compromise with the Thai society in order to gain the recognition of the Thai people. At the same time, relevant cultural activities and language education which have been designed to preserve their own ethnic or national identity contribute to form their identity. The main findings in the article come from face-to-face interviews with Myanmar migrant children, their parents, headmasters, teachers, etc. in Samut Sakhon Province.