"A high-level Government ceremony in Sittwe, Rakhine State, marked the end of the Education Post Flood Response which ran for four years following Cyclone Komen in 2015. Led by the Ministry of Education with the support of the Government of Japan and UNICEF, the programme benefitted over 300,000 children in Rakhine and Chin states, reaching some for the first time. A major achievement of the programme was the construction, repair and rehabilitation of 78 schools in Rakhine State with a provision of 37,350 roofing sheets to a further 263 schools in both Rakhine and Chin States. In addition, over 11,000 teachers were provided with training on a more inclusive approach to teaching and learning in the classrooms in both states. This included volunteer teachers from camps for the Internally Displaced Persons receiving for the first time the government-led Child Friendly School teacher training, bringing benefits to children’s learning at temporary learning classrooms in IDP camps. The Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) has inclusion and equity as one of the cross-cutting issues, and education is one of the priority areas. “Strong long-term partnership between the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, with both soft and hardware interventions, result in a holistic child friendly environment which goes far beyond just the construction of schools,” said the Director General of the Department of Basic Education, U Ko Lay Win. “The Rakhine State Government guidance and support to the Ministry of Education has ensured the safety and access of Government staff, UNICEF staff, and contractors involved in construction, monitoring and training activities, even in conflict afflicted areas.”..."