The Evolution of Community-Led Education Systems in Conflict-Affected Regions of Myanmar

Abstract

This literature review examines the historical evolution and contemporary significance of community-led and ethnic education systems in Myanmar across prolonged political instability and renewed conflict following the 2021 military coup. Using a narrative review approach, peer-reviewed articles, books, policy reports, and institutional publications from 2000–2025 were thematically synthesized to trace patterns of non-state schooling, community governance, and educational adaptation under conflict. The synthesis identifies three dominant findings: the persistence of non-state education rooted in religious and ethnic institutions; the central role of language and cultural preservation in sustaining community participation; and the resilience of locally governed systems during periods of state collapse, especially after 2021. Across historical periods, communities sustained education through flexible delivery models, volunteer teachers, local fundraising, and psychosocial support. Rather than serving solely as emergency substitutes, community-led education in Myanmar consistently re-emerges as a durable governance structure that sustains educational access when state systems fail.