Myanmar Migrant Students Will Sit Matriculation Exam
A total of 104 students from Mae Sot migrant schools will travel to Myawady Township to take the annual exam.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Secondary Education
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104 Myanmar migrant students from Mae Sot, Thailand, will travel to Myawady Township to sit for their matriculation exams. Social organizations are coordinating travel, healthcare, and lodging to support the students during the testing period.
Why it matters
This initiative provides crucial academic access for displaced youth who attend migrant schools in Thailand. By sitting for the matriculation exam, these students can continue their educational progress using the Myanmar syllabus.
There are 9,000 students enrolled in migrant schools across Mae Sot, a small fraction of the 50,000 school-aged children in the area. In the 2019-2020 academic cycle, 16 of the 120 students who took the exam successfully passed.
The players
Myanmar migrant schools
These educational institutions serve the children of migrant workers in Mae Sot and follow the official Myanmar syllabus.
The details
Students preparing for the exam currently attend schools in Mae Sot that are linked to Thai-Myanmar education centers and staffed by volunteers. To facilitate the exam, social organizations are providing housing at the Maha Si Meditation Center, No.4 Basic Middle School, and Kyauklonegyi Monastery.
Timeline
2012: The year Myanmar migrant students were first permitted to sit for the exam.
2019-2020: A testing period in which 16 out of 120 students successfully passed.
Culture Shift
This exam cycle continues the precedent set by the 2012 policy allowing migrant students to sit for the exam. The program reflects a broader effort to maintain educational continuity for displaced populations despite regional border challenges.
Students will benefit from coordinated transport and housing at designated sites like the Maha Si Meditation Center. These support structures are essential to ensuring that candidates can arrive in Myawady Township safely to complete their testing.
The takeaway
The continued participation of these students highlights the persistence of migrant families in securing formal recognition for their children's education. Accessing these exams serves as a critical bridge for students looking to maintain their academic trajectory despite significant displacement.
Further reading
Learn more about international challenges in Secondary Education.
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