![Image 4 A Student And Teacher At St Johns School](https://old.cm.org.au/images/uploads/_960xAUTO_fit_center-center_90/1399/Image-4-A-student-and-teacher-at-St-Johns-School.jpg)
Work with Children
Since the project commenced in January 2017, thanks to your generosity and prayers, Catholic Mission is excited to report the school has been achieving strong outcomes.
Father Lucas on St John’s Primary School, Hakha, Myanmar (March 2019)
St John's is located in a region that is home to some of the most isolated and remote communities in the country. Around 26 percent of people in Chin State have received no schooling, and with inadequate facilities, difficult terrain and a lack of critical infrastructure, the barriers to education are substantial.[1] In this context, St John's is helping to meet important and urgent needs.
Children in one of the St John's classrooms, engaged and learning, thanks to your support
The current academic year (June 2018-19) sees 155 students enrolled and all five existing classrooms occupied. The school currently offers classes from prekindergarten through to the equivalent of third grade, with the aim of opening to enrolments for fourth grade in June 2019.
It has also been incredibly encouraging to see an overwhelmingly positive community response to the school and its teaching program, with demand for places far exceeding current supply. Since opening its doors, 54 students have had to be turned away to date.
With the number of students attending the school growing so quickly, St Johns has had to purchase a second school bus, something that was only possible thanks to your support and commitment to the work of Catholic Mission in Myanmar.
Parents and community members at the blessing for the second bus purchased for St John’s School
In another major development, construction commenced on the second building in December 2018 and is now well underway to make sure the school is ready for the new academic year in June 2019.
On completion, the second building will facilitate the school’s eventual expansion to a full primary school with eight new classrooms.
St John's is expecting around 70 new students will join the school in this coming academic year (2019-20) and a further 70 will join in the following academic year (2020-21).
St John's students enjoying the school's 2018 Christmas celebrations
Through this project, we are building the capacity of teachers and parents in the Hakha community and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular 'SDG 4: Ensure quality education for all'.
Some highlights of the project so far include:
[1] Myanmar Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population, ‘The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census: Thematic Report on Education’