Myanmar-OKP-MMR-10047

Aiming at continuing to support vocational agricultural education, the proposed outputs of the project Strenghten Education and Research in Agriculture build on the results achieved in the Niche project Strengthening of vocational education and training for food security in Myanmar. Whereas the first project in Myanmar was all about upgrading the 3 year curriculum at SAIs and teaching teachers new skills, this project aims at transforming a selected SAI to an Agricultural College and further increase the capabilities and competences of future teachers by establishing an Agricultural Teacher Training Unit (ATTU).

Agricultural Teacher Training Unit: two-year program

A teacher training unit will be set up at Yezin Agricultural University to educate future teachers in agriculture, including competences to deliver gender sensitive and inclusive educationTo enhance the capabilities of future teacher and educate them to be a teacher a two-year program will be developed. In the first year the program is addressed to food processing, value chain, food safety and food quality. In the second year is focussed on pedagogical and didactical training. The trainees will apply and improve  the achieved skills and knowledge during internships at companies and schools.

Agricultural Teacher Training Unit: Short course

The short half-year course will be developed to train experienced teachers of both Yezin Agricultural University and the State Agricultural Institutes (SAIs). These course is a combination of  training in pedagogical-didactical knowledge and skills, and transfer to the real teaching practice at school.  The course aims at strengthening the capabilities and competences of teachers, teaching and management staff, including competences to deliver gender sensitive and inclusive education to address also education to marginalized groups.

Both courses, the short one and the two years-course are also addressed to extension workers aiming at strengthening their capacities in advisory work.

Human capital

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation intend to embed the Agricultural Teacher Training Unit in the Agricultural Human Resource Policy of agricultural and vocational and higher education. Linkages between agricultural education and formal and informal private sector (agro-businesses, value chains, Integrated Seed Sector Development) will encourage the learning process of the students of vocational and higher education. So the can contribute to a vibrant and vivid agricultural sector, to food safety and food quality. This will promote sustainable agricultural growth.  This is one of the steps in reduction of malnutrition .

Strengthening agricultural education in Myanmar is only possible by strong commitment and good collaboration. The strong collaboration between the Dutch and Myanmar consortium partners and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, and the strong commitment of all stakeholders make the projects successful. And the final beneficiaries, the students?: ‘I notice already that they are changing’, explained one of the principals during a stakeholder meeting about the future of agricultural education.

Objective:

• End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (SDG 2) 

Long-term impact: 

• Promote agricultural growth 

Specific Outcomes:

• TVET/HE organizations in Myanmar and in NL perform better their core tasks, firmly embedded in their environment (in line with country / regional specific labour market needs & aiming at inclusiveness

Outputs

• Establishment of an Agricultural College by upgrading one selected SAI and adding year 4 and year 5 to the existing curriculum.
• Establishment of Agricultural Teacher Training Unit (ATTU) to increase capabilities and competences of future teachers, teaching and management staff, including competences to deliver gender sensitive and inclusive education and address also education to marginalized groups. The ATTU will be established at Yezin Agricultural University.
• Roll-out. Sharing of the project approach and achievements with the other SAIs (TVET schools) aiming at implementing the college curriculum.
• Strong partnerships: Linkages between agricultural education and formal and informal private sector (agro-businesses, value chains, Integrated Seed Sector Development) and establishment of partnerships between Dutch and Myanmar Educational institutes.

Beneficiaries

MoALI extension staff, teachers of selected  SAI’s, SAI students, agribusiness and the society.

Client

Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI) in Myanmar

Partners