Teacher Stories: Nang Pin Kham

This story was collected as part of Teachers in Crisis Contexts (TiCC) Event Series to ensure that the voices and experiences of teachers working in crisis and displacement permeate all aspects of the event. For more stories, click here. 

The challenges of equitable community teacher stipends in conflict affected areas of Myanmar

Name: Nang Pin Kham 

Role: Community Teacher

Age: 24 

Location: Shan State, Myanmar 

Nang Pin Kham is 24 years of age and a community teacher in Shan State. Her highest formal qualification is high school. She started teaching the Shan language in 2012 through her connections with the Shan Literacy and Culture Committee. In 2013, she attended a summer vacation teacher training, which was organised by the Rural Development Foundation Shan State (RDFSS) and the Karen Teachers Working Group (KTWG). In 2013-14, she joined the Teacher Preparation Course (TPC); a teacher training institute for community teachers. Upon graduation, she worked as a community teacher, teaching Shan, Burmese and English to KG to Grade 4 students. In 2015, she was transferred to a small Shan village to open a community school. 

Nang Pin Kham’s passion for teaching started early. She is happy to have received training to establish her career and become a confident teacher. “I am proud of myself to be serving as a local teacher although I do not earn much.” 

She shares inspiration and observations of her time working as a community teacher. 

“I believe that children will have better education and slowly it will help their parents in their living. The village has changed their attitude since I arrived and now they value education more. They built the house for me so that I did not need to travel alone. The village has become more active and cooperative in building basic school facilities such as benches and desks. I want to continue teaching children in need as my passion drives as long as there are supporters from the community and education field.”
 

The views expressed in this blog are the author's own.