Education is often seen as a panacea for shaping, developing and/or fundamentally changing the trajectory of one’s future or that of a nation. However, education can also be a means to reproduce social inequalities or even serve as an oppressive and ideological apparatus of the State. Thus, it is critical to consider the roles and purposes of education, in particular in times of revolution as we are witnessing in Burma/Myanmar today. This thought piece explores the role of education in Burma’s revolutionary journey. It includes a) excerpts of a conversation with three Burmese community members physically situated in the United States at a time of sustained military violence and oppression in Burma, in particular after the military coup of February 2021; and b) a conceptual frame for three respective educational efforts that they share about. This piece shines a light on ways in which education is being employed as part of revolutionary, liberatory and future building educational strategies as part of the movement for freedom and democracy in Burma today.
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