Holding the Line: Teacher Resilience and Engagement in Myanmar’s Conflict-Affected, Non-State Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/jescu.2026.2Keywords:
teacher resilience, community-based education, non-state schools, educational leadership, conflict-affected educationAbstract
This qualitative study explores teacher resilience, professional engagement, and informal leadership in community-led schools located in conflict-affected areas of Myanmar. The study draws on two online focus group discussions with 14 high school teachers selected through purposive sampling. The research instrument was a semi-structured focus group discussion protocol. The discussions were conducted in the Myanmar language, and the data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that teachers sustain resilience through moral purpose, professional commitment, and strong relational ties with students, peers, and local communities. In the absence of formal governance structures, teachers assume informal leadership roles by managing school operations, providing emotional support, and adapting teaching practices to crisis conditions. Professional engagement is maintained through collective responsibility, student motivation, and community collaboration despite ongoing violence and displacement. These findings highlight how resilience and professional engagement in conflict settings emerge as relational and context-dependent processes rather than individual traits. The study contributes to research on education in emergencies by demonstrating the role of community-driven educational models in sustaining learning where formal systems have collapsed and offers insights for supporting teachers working in prolonged conflict environments.
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