News
Empowering Teachers: UNESCO Introduces Psychosocial Support Online Course
In times of emergencies, such as conflict, disasters, or forced migration, the psychosocial well-being of individuals, especially children, faces significant challenges. In Myanmar, the dual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing political upheavals has placed immense strain on the psychosocial well-being of children and families. Recognizing the pivotal role of education in safeguarding mental and physical health, the UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon (UNESCO Yangon) has taken proactive steps to provide teachers with essential skills by launching the Psychosocial Support (PSS) online course at the Myanmar Teacher Platform in October 2023.
The online course is structured into three guiding modules:
- Psychosocial support in education
- Crisis and children's responses to crisis
- Creating a safe learning environment
The primary objective of this new course is to empower teachers by imparting crucial knowledge encompassing the understanding of psychosocial support; recognizing the nature of crises and children’s responses to them; managing stress; creating safe learning environments; engaging in restorative recreation and relaxation activities; implementing Psychological First Aid (PFA); and addressing the needs of children with special requirements.
Each module unfolds through multiple lessons, offering an engaging mix of elements, such as the ‘Let’s guess started!’ activity, lecture videos, related literature, quizzes, exercises with case studies, and pre- and post-tests. This methodology not only ensures a comprehensive understanding of the subject for teachers, but also facilitates a self-driven, enriching learning experience in their professional development.
The online module has already witnessed an encouraging response, with the enrollment of 176 teachers, among whom 105 have proudly earned their completion certificates. Feedback from participants highlights positive attitudes, underscoring the course's relevance to current life situations and the practical knowledge gained from it.
Representative quotes from participants:
The lesson contents are related to the current life situation.
I have gained a lot of knowledge that is related to the current situation.
Very good lessons, and I have learned the ways of approaching different types of learners.
The lessons are very applicable to our teaching-learning process.
Knowledge attained from this lesson is very useful for the community.
Organizations seeking even deeper insights may request in-depth study with experts by submitting an online training request. To date, 165 teachers (52 per cent of whom are women) have actively participated in the virtual training sessions. Upon course completion, teachers gain access to a virtual professional learning community through fostering ongoing support with regular updates, digital content, and quiz games to refresh continuous professional development.
The UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon's new initiative places teachers at the forefront of integrating psychosocial support into education. As the program progresses, these educators are expected to become key contributors to promoting emotional well-being and resilience of children in Myanmar.
The UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon extends an invitation to organizations and educators alike to join this transformative movement, ensuring a brighter, more resilient future for Myanmar's educational landscape.
For access to Psychosocial Support resources and online courses, learn more at the .
Click here to visit , and of the course.
By Equity and Inclusion Team, Strengthening Pre-service Teacher Education in Myanmar Project, UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon
#TeacherEducationMyanmar
