Equipping Youth for Employment Project (RRP MYA 48431)

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PLAN: ETHNIC GROUP PLAN

1. The proposed Equipping Youth for Employment Project (EYE) will support reforms to realign Myanmar’s secondary education subsector (SES) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to more effectively meet evolving workforce needs and advance inclusive growth. EYE will support rationalization of SES and TVET and address key interlinked challenges in subsector management, access, and quality and relevance through three outputs: (i) policy frameworks and capacities for cohesive, workforce-responsive SES and TVET enhanced; (ii) new SES curriculum delivered and access expanded; and (iii) new TVET Competency Based Modular Short Courses (CBMSC) programs introduced and access expanded. Project design emphasizes addressing access and equity issues related to ethnic youth from poor and traditionally disadvantaged regions, young women, and girls.

2. The Government of Myanmar recognizes 135 different ethnic groups in Myanmar, each with its own history, culture and language. The majority Bamar ethnic group makes up about two-thirds of the population. The other seven largest nationalities are the Chin, Kachin, Karenni (sometimes called Kayah), Karen (sometimes called Kayin), Mon, Rakhine, and Shan. Myanmar is divided into seven states, each named after an ethnic group, and seven regions (formerly called divisions) which are largely inhabited by Bamars.

3. Education (and language) policies and practices play a role in the complex historical relationship between the state and ethnic groups in Myanmar. The state has traditionally emphasized a centralized, Myanmar language education system that some ethnic group members believed provided little space for their languages, cultures and ethnic identities to be preserved, practiced and valued.

4. Meaningful Consultation. Project preparation included three rounds of structured community and school level consultations with parents, teachers, head teachers, education officers and community leaders on (i) environmental impact of civil works at potential sites that may be selected for secondary school upgrade (from post –primary to basic education middle school or from branch high school to basic education high school) from the perspective of local communities, (ii) issues relating to SES access, quality and relevance, and (iii) issues of concern to currently enrolled CBMSC trainees from their perspectives.

5. The most recent consultations (September 2016) were conducted in 13 townships across the six States and Regions selected under the EYE project for SES classroom block and dormitory construction (Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing and Shan). In Bago and Mandalay regions the population is made up of mixed ethnic groups; in Ayeyarwady region the Kayin ethnic group are prevalent; Sagaing region includes Chin and Shan ethnic groups while Shan State has a majority Shan ethnic group people; Magway region is predominantly Bamar. Consultation meetings were held at 13 potential project school locations, as an initial environmental examination to seek views of community and education sector stakeholders on likely impacts of school construction. Participants included parents, village leaders, head teachers, teachers and township officials. Similar consultations will be conducted during implementation as part of the selection and verification procedures of all SES and CBMSC civil works sites under the EYE project, including ensuring ethnic group representation.

6. In the first round of SES consultations (March 2016), 41 focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with nearly 900 parents, SES teachers, SES students and Township Education Officers in seven areas, including five (ethnic) States (Kayin, Kayah, Kachin, Mon, Northern and Southern Shan) and one Region (Magwe), and union territory (Naypyitaw). Participant feedback

1 on quality and relevance included recommendations to include teaching on ethnic history, to systematically transition away from rote learning towards more critical thinking, to reform the assessment system towards individual needs and aspirations, and to focus resources to poor and rural areas. On access, participants felt the main contributing factors in student drop-out is expenses for attendance in higher grades, particularly in rural environments where schools are distant, along with the lost opportunity cost related to traditional and family agriculture employment and lack of interest related to relevance. Participants supported establishment of dormitory facilities to increase access for poor and rural students, which would benefit underserved ethnic groups. On language of instruction, both rural and urban parents and most students from ethnic areas supported instruction in Myanmar and English language for students in upper secondary grades and improved teaching of English as a subject in all secondary school grades. The FGD feedback validated previous CESR Phase I & II SES findings and recommendations and supported project design: e.g., inclusion of ethnic dimensions into curriculum and assessment reform through consultations, workshops and capacity support to curriculum development teams; expanded access through targeted dormitory establishment; inclusion of cultural sensitivity elements into teacher in-service, pre-service training, and CPD; and targeted social marketing in ethnic minority areas to expand access through increase awareness of relevance of new SES curriculum.

7. A second round of FGDs was conducted with ethnic CBMSC students in GTHS in Mandalay, Yangon and Naypyitaw and ITC in Mandalay (July 2016). Participants were from the Rakhine, Mon, Chin, Shan, Kayin, and Kachin (Kachin, Kachin-Lesu, Kachin-Lonme, Kachin Inkhun) ethnic groups. Participants recommended EYE to promote awareness and increase access of the CBMSC’s among ethnic group members, for example graduating students could share their experiences with their communities and through local places of worship to disseminate CBMSC information. Other ideas for awareness raising for ethnic group members included utilizing TV, online media, brochures, social media, and missions by the CMBSC institutions to ethnic regions to raise awareness and recruit participants. Participants noted that provision of accommodation and food was important to attract ethnic and poorer participants and that travel expenses for participants from distant areas was a challenge and support from civil society groups or local churches would support access for poorer participants from these areas. Participants noted the CBMSC were attractive to ethnic group members due to their relatively short course duration, no course fees, and the employment opportunities the course provides and that establishing additional CMBSC’s in other areas would be beneficial, especially at the township level. Based on this and other feedback and through discussions with TVET institutions, government and ADB, a targeted communication and consultation plan, including a social marketing campaign, is being designed to reach underrepresented groups, including ethnic group members from distant areas (detailed below in para.10).

8. During project implementation, meaningful consultations to ensure ethnic group dimensions are fully considered and incorporated will be undertaken at the union, district and institution level, with ethnic group representatives and experts on ethnic dimensions of: SES curriculum reform; development of National Assessment Policy (NAP) and new techniques for student assessment; LSE and USE completion examination and sample-based assessment of student learning outcomes. For TVET CBMSC, a social marketing campaign will target underrepresented ethnic group representation to increase access to CMBSCs.

9. Information disclosure. Both draft and final EGP will be disclosed on the ADB and MOE websites in English and Myanmar, with the EGP disclosed on the ADB website.

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10. Public communications strategy. An EYE stakeholder communication strategy, including a social marketing campaign, will be developed and implemented to ensure that students, parents, and eligible youth and workers, including those from ethnic groups that are under-represented in SES and TVET, are aware of the EYE project related reforms and opportunities. The overall public communication strategy will use a variety of platforms, potentially including information published on the MOE EYE website, TV and radio broadcasts, through print media (in Myanmar and local languages to the extent possible), and partnership activities with Edu Channel (the public communications platform of the Ministry of Education). The PMU will use the public communications strategy as a mechanism to raise awareness of SES curriculum reforms, upcoming CBMSC programs and for information sharing on EYE project events and achievements. Engagement with ethnic religious leaders will ensure widespread dissemination of CMBSC information, as well as through past and graduating student networks. Information on the CBMSC needs-based stipend program will be published as part of the communications strategy including schedules, eligibility criteria, application processes, and records of student achievement. Project specific information disclosure will be posted on the EYE project website as required and, where applicable, EYE project information on achievement against ethnic group performance indicators will be published.

11. The EYE social marketing campaign will reach out both at national level, communicating information to parents and youth country-wide, and at a more targeted local level conveying key messages to under-represented ethnic groups, youth in poor communities, girls, unskilled youth and workers. Social marketing will focus on communication of positive, culturally sensitive messages on the value of secondary education and CBMSC skills training, for example, messages to encourage parents to send their children to school , especially girls; to inform parents, youth, employers and the wider public that each additional year of education increases a person’s earning potential and is the key to a better life; to raise awareness among employers and community leaders of the importance of human capital development for economic growth; and to inform employers, youth and parents that girls and women can train in traditionally male- dominated skill areas. The social marketing campaign will ensure outreach to ethnic groups as a means of improving school performance of currently low achieving ethnic communities.

12. Financing for EGP. To ensure effective implementation of the EGP, EYE has allocated sufficient resources to build government counterpart capacity to adhere to the SPS for Indigenous People. International and national consultants with expertise in communication and Myanmar ethnic dimensions supported the government in developing the EGP, and resources are allocated during project implementation for international (6 person months) and national (24 person months) consultant support for social marketing, and implementation and monitoring of the EGP (12 person months for international and 72 person months for national consultants). Project resources have been allocated for annual production of communication and social marketing materials. In addition to such support within EYE, a National Safeguard Officer (NSO) based in ADB’s Myanmar Resident Mission (MYRM) has and will play a key role in initial due diligence as well as safeguard supervision during implementation.

13. Grievance Redress Mechanism for EGP. Grievance redress mechanisms (GRM) will be established for EYE, overseen by a focal point within the PMU, and including specific procedures for grievances relating to ethnic group issues. Summaries and status of submitted concerns, complaints and resolutions will be included in quarterly reports to ADB and monitored by ADB during six-month review missions. The mechanism will include clear and transparent procedures and responsibilities to facilitate resolution of ethnic group concerns to be designed with support of project implementation consultants. For concerns related to union-level ethnic issues of concern under the EYE project, the grievance committee will be comprised of

3 responsible government officials who may engage experts in ethnic issue to facilitate satisfactory resolution. For local-level project concerns, the project will designate a local focal point to accept the complaint or concern and attempt to resolve the issue. If local issues cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of complainant in a timely manner, the issue will be sent to the union-level grievance mechanism within the PMU. The GRM will establish clear policies, procedures and timelines and a brochure will be produced in Myanmar and main ethnic languages describing in easy to understand language the mechanism and made available to ethnic communities.

14. Implementation arrangements, reporting and monitoring framework. The Project Manager and PMU will assume overall responsibility for implementation, monitoring and reporting on the EGP. Quarterly and semi-annual reports will summarize and present EYE project disaggregated data by ethnic group, by poverty status and gender. Annual reports that include analysis of progress in social, ethnic and gender related indicators will be produced by the gender and social development specialists. The international and national consultant on gender and social development will also provide expert advice and overall guidance in EGP implementation, with the national consultant working closely with the PMU throughout the project duration, on an intermittent basis. The PMU and consultants will coordinate with units responsible for specific activity areas and EGP actions noted above. All PMU quarterly reports submitted to the ADB will report progress against EGP. The MOE through the PMU will submit semi-annual reports to ADB, which ADB will disclose on ADB's website, upon receipt.

15. Capacity development support to implement EGP. The project will build the capacity of the PMU and implementing units to implement the EGP through inputs from national and international consultants. This will include, for example, drafting of guidelines and procedures for CBMSC needs-based stipend selection, ethnic dimensions review of SES and CBMSC curriculum content, and support for monitoring and evaluation of EYE project ethnic group indicators. In addition to support within EYE, PMU and implementing unit staff will also be included in ongoing MYRM initiatives, such as workshops to introduce PMU and IU staff to ADB's Indigenous Peoples safeguards policy. This will aim to sensitize staff to ethnic group issues under EYE, and to raise awareness of the ethnic group related responsibilities of PMU and IUs in project implementation. Sourcebooks have been prepared through TA 7566 and translated into Myanmar language to elaborate upon key IP concepts in the SPS. These will be used as a resource in the EYE project to assist ADB staff and MOE counterparts to understand the key SPS IP principles. The international and national consultants and the ADB National Safeguard Officer (NSO) will support development of an EYE project social safeguard system and will conduct awareness seminars on SPS IP requirements.

Anticipated Project Anticipated Proposed Measures to Mitigate Impact (by Lead Unit Negative Output Positive Effect output and sub-output) (Indicative) Effect Output 1: Enhanced Policy Possibility of 1A. Provide capacity support through to PMU DERPT Policy frameworks and gaps (real or and PIU’s on ethnic dimensions and safeguard frameworks capacity of perceived) in monitoring and evaluation. and Ministry of the extent to capacities Education and which new 1A1/1A2. Ensure that labor market skill analysis DERPT in for other relevant policies and and industry engagement mechanisms include coordination cohesive, ministries and systems ethnic dimensions and inform strategies to with workforce- agencies. equitably increase ethnic group participation in formal DTVET,MOLIP responsive benefit EGs wage employment fields. and MOI secondary Increased ethnic education group 1B1/1B2. Ensure that work to identify DERPT in subsector participation in competencies for delivery by general education coordination

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Anticipated Project Anticipated Proposed Measures to Mitigate Impact (by Lead Unit Negative Output Positive Effect output and sub-output) (Indicative) Effect (SES), and SES/TVET and TVET and to develop new learning with DTVET technical policy reform pathways assesses challenges and promotes and DHE and improved learning and workforce outcomes for vocational Better ethnic minorities. education Implementation and training and monitoring 1B3. Identify disadvantaged ethnic minority DERPT in (TVET) on programs locations for specific EYE interventions using coordination enhanced outputs and disaggregated ethnic group data to the extent with DTVET outcomes possible, based on defined selection criteria and DBE from SNM and EMIS data.

1B3. Encourage underrepresented ethnic group Same as staff participation in capacity development previous workshops.

1C1. Ensure that policy-level and capacity DERPT building support under the Reform Support Facility (RSF) emphasizes ethnic dimensions, and that these are mainstreamed in project- wide monitoring and evaluation.

1C2. Train PMU staff on ethnicity issues, DERPT including ADB social safeguards and ethnic group analysis.

1C3. Collect and analyze baseline quantitative DERPT in data disaggregated by ethnicity to the extent coordination possible related to CBMSC stipends, with DTVET enrolment, SES and TVET civil works and and DBE procurement and SES curriculum, enrolment and teacher training for planning, monitoring, and reporting progress in ethnic indicators.

1C3. Quarterly and annual reports including DERPT in analyses of progress in ethnic related indicators. coordination with DTVET and DBE and Social development specialist Output 2: Better access of Curriculum 2A. Engage experts in teacher training and DERPT New SES ethnic groups to reinforces cultural sensitivity to support development of in- curriculum SES. cultural and service and pre-service training programs. delivered ethnic and access Enhanced stereotypes 2A1. Include ethnic sensitivity in capacity DERPT expanded culturally and building for relevant SES curriculum ethnic based Ethnic groups development team(s) through representation SES curriculum excluded and participation of ethnic minorities and ethnic and pedagogy due to lack of minority experts in the curriculum and materials knowledge on development process. Ethnic student/ ethnic issues disadvantaged and 2A1. Conduct stakeholder consultation on DERPT youth received sensitivity, ethnic dimensions of curriculum reform. applicable limited reach secondary (i.e. workshop 2A1. Analyze existing curriculum through ethnic DERPT education for curriculum dimension lens, and ensure that new LSE and leading to development USE curricula, textbooks, teacher guides, and increase team, ICT-based resources are culturally appropriate

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Anticipated Project Anticipated Proposed Measures to Mitigate Impact (by Lead Unit Negative Output Positive Effect output and sub-output) (Indicative) Effect employment engagement and sensitive to ethnic groups. opportunities with community 2A3. Ethnic group teachers will be given priority DERPT & DBE Upgrading of and (measured against total shares, to be captured schools with appropriate in the forthcoming teacher census) in project- additional social financed in-service training and CPD programs, resources, marketing) and selection criteria will be developed to target facility, will ethnic teachers. promote access EGs, to school in teachers, and 2A3/2A6. Include teachers from schools under DHE in disadvantaged / communities Development of Border Areas & National coordination ethnic area and are excluded Races. with, DERPT lead to reduce from DBE, school dropout opportunity in UOE and EC rate SES reform process 2A3/2A6. Develop in-service, pre-service, and DHE in CPD training content on ethnic minorities coordination including topics related to culture, language, with, DERPT history and traditions, to the extent possible. DBE, UOE and EC

2A3/2A6. Engage ethnic group representatives DHE in or specialists to support development of ethnic coordination minority appropriate content for in-service, pre- with, DERPT service and CPD training programs, to the DBE, extent possible. UOE and EC

2A4. Ensure during development of National DME in Assessment Policy (NAP) and introduction of coordination new techniques for ongoing student with, DERPT assessment, LSE and USE completion DBE, UOE and examinations, and sample-based ASLO, that: EC . Ethnic considerations are fully considered and incorporated through ethnic minority stakeholders and expert dialogue and consultations that include: development of student assessments that are sensitive to ethnic dimensions; and, if possible, analysis of results of completions examinations disaggregated by ethnic dimensions and by other criteria (e.g., urban-rural gaps, etc.).

2B1.Where SES-related civil works are targeted DBE in for areas of mixed government and non- coordination government school administrations, consult with DERPT, with relevant, local, ethnic non-governmental and MOC stakeholders prior to construction. IU who will lead consultation.

2B1. Encourage local employment on EYE SES Same as civil works projects in bidding documents. previous

2B2. In social marketing activities, target ethnic DERPT in minorities through developed of content coordination relevant to ethnic groups to: (i) increase with DBE understanding and attitude toward the benefits

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Anticipated Project Anticipated Proposed Measures to Mitigate Impact (by Lead Unit Negative Output Positive Effect output and sub-output) (Indicative) Effect of schooling; and (ii) promote ethnic minority involvement/ enrolment in SES.

2B2. Produce social marketing content in Same as Myanmar and ethnic languages, to the extent previous possible.

2B2. Include ethnic representatives in Same as developing social marketing strategy and previous content.

2B2. Encourage school principals and head Same as teachers to form community education previous development committees or equivalent, comprising the school principal, teacher representatives, village heads and community representatives, parents and including ethnic representatives, to provide awareness on possible risk of after school dropout and impact of education on employment.

2C1.For all capacity development programs for DERPT in SES head teachers and staff of state/region, coordination district, and township education offices: with DBE, . Include training on ethnicity in education, DHE including strategies to promote access to and completion of secondary education. . Expand leadership roles and skills among ethnic minorities, including via staff mentoring, instructional leadership, and encourage recruitment of ethnic minorities as education managers, to the extent possible, while selecting the most appropriately qualified and experienced candidate. U Khin Aye, 2C3.Include ethnic minority dimensions in DERPT in policy and strategy development for ICT4ME in coordination SES content through planned workshops and with DBE& seminars. DHE

2C3. Include remote and ethnic minority areas Same as in ICT4ME pilot and scale up activities. previous Output 3: Better access EGs excluded 3B1. Encourage TVET-related civil works DTVET in New TVET of ethnic groups due to opportunities for ethnic minority employment coordination programs to TVET, limited TVET through inclusion in tender documents. with MOI and introduced increased course MOC and access awareness offerings and expanded about TVET limited 3B2. Encourage CBMSC participation for DTVET in and employment participants from remote and ethnic minority coordination employment opportunities and underserved regions by TVET with MOI opportunities, - in remote opportunities, through targeted selection received regions, and criteria. applicable failure of vocational social 3B3. Encourage underrepresented ethnic group DTVET in training and marketing participation in CBMSC through: coordination better campaigns . Under the project financed pilot test on with MOLIP employment needs based targeted stipends 80% of and MOI

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Anticipated Project Anticipated Proposed Measures to Mitigate Impact (by Lead Unit Negative Output Positive Effect output and sub-output) (Indicative) Effect opportunity EGs, TVET stipends will be provided to CBMSC instructors, trainees from underrepresented groups Upgrading and and including ethnic groups additional communities . Targeted social marketing campaigns that: resources, don’t equally (i) encourage underrepresented ethnic facility, benefit from participants to enroll in CBMSC to dormitory will of employer increase opportunities to climb skill ladder promote access involvement and engage in formal economy; (ii) to TVET in encourage employers to employ CBMSC disadvantaged / Lack of participants as skilled workers ethnic area and awareness . Produce social marketing in Myanmar and lead to reduce and ethnic languages to the extent possible. school dropout participation . Consult with ethnic group representatives rate on TVE/ in designing social marketing campaign to CBMSC increase awareness and participation and training by incorporate feedback to target ethnic groups 3C3. For all capacity development programs for DTVET in Suboptimal GTHS and ITC principals, and TVET staff in coordination geographic local offices of MOE, MOI, and MOLIP: with MOI. targeting for . Encourage ethnic staff representation ethnic group . Develop and train on strategies to promote participation inclusiveness and equity for ethnic minorities’ access to TVET. ADB = Asian Development Bank, CBMSC = competency-based modular short course, COE = center of excellence, DBE = Department of Basic Education, DHE = Department of Higher Education, DPO = development partner organization, DTVET = Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, EMIS = education management information system, EYE = Equipping Youth for Employment Project; GTHS = government technical high school, ICT4ME = information and communication technology for Myanmar education, LSE = lower secondary education, M&E = monitoring and evaluation, MOE = Ministry of Education, MOI = Ministry of Industry, MOLIP = Ministry of Labor, Immigration, and Population, NESP = National Education Strategic Plan, SES = secondary education subsector, TVET = technical and vocational education and training, USE = upper secondary education

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