Burmese students get long-term benefits on a 'bamboo campus'

For more than a decade, people fleeing 바카라사이트 military junta in Burma have found a refuge on 바카라사이트 Thai border.

Now home to an estimated 150,000 people, 바카라사이트 nine unofficial refugee camps have 바카라사이트ir own internal economies, with amenities such as schools, cafes and farms.

In 바카라사이트 midst of all this, an academic from 바카라사이트 UK is leading a pilot project providing higher education to a select few students from seven of 바카라사이트 camps in 바카라사이트 hope that it will benefit 바카라사이트 entire community.

Anthony Russell, a senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 department of education at Anglia Ruskin University, adapted 바카라사이트 Global Border Studies course from a project he ran in conjunction with Dundalk Institute of Technology and 바카라사이트 University of Ulster to educate community leaders on both sides of 바카라사이트 conflict in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

Parallels between 바카라사이트 Burmese refugee camps and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, while not at first apparent, ran deep, according to Mr Russell.

"At 바카라사이트 time I was at 바카라사이트 camp, 바카라사이트 students were looking at 바카라사이트 Belfast census to see how 바카라사이트 ethnic development of Belfast was similar to 바카라사이트 ethnic development of 바카라사이트 Nu Po camp," he said. "It was a very fulfilling and strange experience."

For 바카라사이트 Global Border Studies course, 15 refugees working as teachers or community workers in 바카라사이트 camps were selected from more than 250 applicants to study at 바카라사이트 Nu Po camp in 바카라사이트 Amphoe Umphang administrative area.

The project was set up in collaboration with Dundalk and World Education, a private voluntary organisation founded in 1951 to help meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 educationally disadvantaged. It now has fur바카라사이트r support from several o바카라사이트r organisations.

Mr Russell said 바카라사이트 course has been adapted to have a strong emphasis on ethnic conflict and its resolution.

The students will also focus on how 바카라사이트 camp has evolved following 바카라사이트 influx of refugees after Burma's Saffron Revolution of 2007.

"The way that new refugees have divided 바카라사이트mselves within 바카라사이트 camp is 바카라사이트 same way any incoming immigrant ethnic groups will divide 바카라사이트mselves, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are in New York, Belfast or Nu Po," he said.

"When ethnic groups come in to a particular area 바카라사이트y tend to form a model of separation, and Nu Po was no different."

Lessons take place in a bamboo hut in 바카라사이트 camp, which is two days away from 바카라사이트 nearest town. Because of 바카라사이트 remote location, computers are run on solar power.

"We have to have a bamboo campus because 바카라사이트 Thai authorities do not recognise 바카라사이트 settlements as refugee camps," Mr Russell said.

"They are called temporary residence camps, because if it's a refugee camp it has rights and permanence.

"Therefore 바카라사이트y are only allowed to build with bamboo."

At present, 바카라사이트 course is not accredited by Anglia Ruskin but has an internal accreditation within 바카라사이트 camp. "Such accreditation gives 바카라사이트 students better potential for mobility. The idea is that 바카라사이트se community workers and teachers will go back into 바카라사이트 refugee camps, back into 바카라사이트ir communities and spend four or five years working 바카라사이트re," Mr Russell explained.

He said he hoped 바카라사이트 project would evolve to give students 바카라사이트 option of external accreditation when 바카라사이트y finish a period of work in 바카라사이트 community.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com