Examining psychosocial support interventions and resilience-building in Myanmar: A case study of female teachers working with parallel education providers

Evidence shows that most of the teachers in conflict areas in Myanmar are female (MoE, 2013). Due to the protracted crisis after the military coup in 2021, female teachers from parallel education providers in Myanmar are struggling with unique challenges and risks. Understanding their personal experiences and their sources of resilience are essential for establishing targeted psychosocial support interventions for their wellbeing. Within the protracted crisis of Myanmar, this article emphasises interrelations among gender, conflict, resilience, and education. Drawing on interviews with ten female teachers from parallel education providers, this paper reports that female teachers from revolutionary schools in Myanmar struggle with inadequate income, insufficient human capacity, lack of emergency funding and psychosocial support. Instead of professional psychological support, they rely on self-healing activities, peer relationships and encouragement. This article urgently calls for the establishment of formal psychosocial support mechanisms in the parallel education system for the wellbeing and resilience of female teachers.