Education Foundation

Educational Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) is a trailblazer for migrants and disadvantaged youth in its efforts to open official pathways to education by ensuring legal status and building bridges among systems. ELAP works closely with the Thai Ministry of Education to assist students with registration for educational programs and provides counselling on questions regarding legal status and recognition of educational achievements.

1) Education Equivalency Initiative

The Education Equivalency Initiative aims to address one of the biggest education challenges for migrant children and youth: the lack of connection in education systems between Thailand and Myanmar. Migrant students who have received education in one country are not able to continue from the appropriate level in the respective other country. This leaves their potential unutilised while wasting both time and state funding for education. Therefore, we mediate between the Ministries of Education of both Myanmar and Thailand to advocate for mutual recognition and accreditation of migrant children’s and youth’s education in Thailand and Myanmar.

2) Education Liaising

The Education Liaising program aims to ensure certification and recognition of education, knowledge and skills acquired by the students that are required for continuing to higher education and professional occupation. In order to ensure sustainable, impactful education pathways, the educational rights of underprivileged youths are advocated for and represented to relevant policymakers.

3) Education Technical Assistance

The Education Technical Assistance program aims to bridge the absence of consistent communication and collaboration between migrant education organizations and the Thai Education departments and the lack of transferability of academic credits between Thailand and Myanmar. We assist migrant youth with developing their education profiles and with getting access to Thai education institutions. Additionally, we support both local organizations in registering as community learning centers with Thailand’s Ministry of Education and advise government departments with understanding the problems of marginalised migrant, often underground, communities.

4) Education Counselling and Consultation

The Education Counselling and Consultation program informs migrant youths and children about their basic and educational rights. Lack of awareness of these legal protections often leads to violation of basic rights, exploitation by employers and abuse. BEAM’s Counselling and Consultation program equips migrants with knowledge about their rights and how to enforce them. We provide individual counselling on legal status, education opportunity, and problems with accessing education and employment.