Enquiry

Centre for Governance and Citizenship (CGC) Seminar Series

jointly presented with

Faculty of Education and Human Development

and

Centre for Lifelong Learning Research and Development

Myanmar’s Democratic Transition: The Role of Education Governance

by

Professor Kerry Kennedy

Director, Centre for Governance and Citizenship

Research Chair Professor of Curriculum Studies

The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Date:       22 January 2014 (Wednesday)

Time:       12:30pm to 2pm

Venue:     Room B3-P-04 (Podium Floor, Block B3)

HKIEd Tai Po Campus

10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po

Abstract

With a constitution in 2008, multi-party elections in 2010 and by elections in 2011 involving Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, Myanmar appears to be on new pathway to democracy following almost fifty years of military dictatorship. As part of this transition a Comprehensive Education Sector Review (CESR) was commissioned by the government in 2012 with the support of development partners.  Its purpose was “to promote a learning society capable of facing the challenges of the Knowledge Age” and to build “a modern developed nation through education”.

This seminar will explore the issue of how an education system that has served the purposes of a military dictatorship might be transformed to serve democratic purposes. The focus will be on governance issues and what education governance for democracy might mean in Myanmar and elsewhere. A comparison will be made with other ASEAN countries and a distinction will be drawn between ASEAN versions of democracy and liberal democracy. The implications of these differences for education governance will be discussed.

Myanmar’s efforts at democratization have been welcomed but the outcomes of the transition are by no means agreed.  As the date of the next election is now set for 2015 and the National League for democracy has indicated its intention to participate, it is a timely opportunity to evaluate progress.

Speaker

Professor Kerry J Kennedy is Research Chair Professor of Curriculum Studies and Director of the Centre for Governance and Citizenship at HKIEd. He has been a consultant to UNESCO providing advice on the development of new education legislation for Myanmar as part of the Comprehensive Sector Education Review. In November 2013 he gave a presentation in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on legislative reform proposals.

Please email cgc@ied.edu.hk for registration and seats reservation.

All are welcome!