Schools we’re supporting
We now support 9 schools in refugee camps and within the Karen state
In spite of political unrest, refugee camp community leaders, teachers, parents, and youth have pushed for the continuation of education as a source of stability, hope, and as a long term investment towards a better future. The Karen Refugee Committee Education Entity (KRCEE) has established six higher education institutions among the refugee camps on the Thai-Myanmar border and seven junior colleges in the Karen state.
Each school offers either the lower division program, upper division program, or both. The lower division program utilizes a two year general studies curriculum, while the upper division program allows students to specialize in a field of their choice: public health, education, or community management.
Northern Karen Junior College (NKJC) is located in the Mae La Oo refugee camp (northeast of Thailand in Mae Hong Song province). The NKJC offers a two-year lower division education program for secondary graduates in the camp as well as those from the Karen State. Additionally, the college offers the Karen Youth Leadership and Management Training Program (KYLMTC), which enables incoming students to directly specialize in leadership management without having to further their studies in the upper division program. 115 students are enrolled for the academic year, and currently the college is run by 14 teaching staff members.
Mae Ra Moe Junior College (MRMJC) is situated in the Mae Ra Moe Karen Refugee Camp (Mae Hongson Province). It was formerly known as the Agriculture Studies Programme (ASP), which was established in 1998. At that time, the program’s emphasis was only on the teaching of agriculture and animal husbandry. In 2008, the school was renamed as the Mae Ra Moe Junior College (MRMJC). The MRMJC offers the two-year lower division program. 140 students are enrolled for the academic year, and currently the college is run by 13 teaching staff members.
Pu Taw Memorial Junior College (PTMJC) is located in the Mae La refugee camp in Tak Song Yang district, Tak province. The PTMJC offers the lower division, upper division program, as well as a Teacher Certification Program that enables students to specialize in education without having to complete the lower and upper division program. 320 students are enrolled for the academic year, and currently the college is run by 19 teaching staff members.
Kaw Lah Junior College (KLJC) is located in the Umphiem refugee camp in the Prop Prap district, Tak province. Apart from providing the lower division program, the school also offers specialized streams in Public Health with the collaboration and assistance of community health organizations such as Mae Tao Clinic, Burma Medical Association, Backpack Health Worker Team, and Karen Department of Health and Welfare. 94 students are enrolled for the academic year, and currently the college is run by 8 teaching staff members.
Tanawthari Junior College (TJC) is located in the Tham Hin refugee camp. TJC is a relatively new school and offers a lower division program to high school graduates. 29 students are enrolled for the academic year, and currently the college is run by 11 teaching staff members.
The KJC formed in 2014 under the leadership of the local community leaders in Kler Lwee Htu, Karen State. The school is situated on a hill called Ta Kai Pu Village and surrounded by mountains. Formally, it was known as Kler Lwee Htu Post-Ten School back in 2010. But KJC became one of the first IHE Programmes that was introduced in the Karen Areas of Southeast Myanmar. KJC only provides a two year IHE Lower Division Programme but is looking to extend its programs to also offer an Upper Division program in future. For the 2024-2025 academic year, there are 112 students and 11 teachers.
The Kaw Moo Rah Junior College is located in Kaw Moo Rah, previously a strategic trade site on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. The KMJC sits alongside the Kaw Moo Rah Clinic, Church, the Kaw Moo Rah Higher School, and the community’s corn field. The community is settled on a narrow strip of land next to a river that divides Thailand and Myanmar. Thea area is fortified by a 50 meter (160ft) long border wall. Established in 2021, the school began with 19 Students and 4 teachers under the Institute of Higher Education’s (IHE) Provisional Period. After a year, the school was officially integrated into the IHE’s lower division program in 2022 with 61 students and 6 teachers. For the 2024-2025 academic year, there are 47 students and 10 teachers.
DTT-Post Ten School was established in 2014, starting with 19 students and 4 staff members. The school is located in an old village whose total population has dwindled due to the ongoing political situation. These factors combined make it a more challenging school to physically access. After three years, the school was officially integrated into the Institute of Higher Education program and was renamed the Doo Thu Htu Junior College (DJC) in 2017. The DJC offers a two year lower division program, aiming to provide human resources in the education sector for the local community and other necessary facilities in the rural area. For the 2024-2025 academic year, there are 158 students and 15 teachers.
The DTKMC was established mainly with the support from local and districts’ leaders to providespecialized education for students in Karen States in Myanmar. This year, there are 32 students attending the DTKMC program, and all students live in the dormitories. Three teachers currently run the college. The name of the college was named based on the regional basis, which refers to the name of the southern districts of the Karen National Union (KNU), which are (1) DoothaHto District, (2) TawOo District, (3) Klerlweehtu District, and (4) Mu Traw District. Proposals for the establishment of the DTKMC began in 2022 and the DTKMC was eventually established in 2024 in Kae Pa Hta Village, Mu Traw District. The DTKMJC is an upper division institution, which offers a Bachelor Degree for students who completed their required courses. To provide an education that meets the local needs of the community, the DTKMC offers two specialized programs, (1) Political Science and (2) Education for students who have completed their study in lower division under IHE’s administration. In the future, the school hopes to expand their offering of programs to forestry, agriculture, computer science, among other degrees that are not offered within the higher education system in the refugee camps.
Change lives today
$48,200 USD ensures access to education for 773 students by providing classroom supplies, supporting 69 school staff with teaching stipends, and covers the remaining operational costs of the schools.