Plans to raise the literacy rate in the country and to provide education to less fortunate children and youth will be ready by April end, said Dr Khine Myae, director general for the Alternative Education Department.

“The Alternative Education Policy Framework is intended to provide the required knowledge to those who are not in school,” he said.

The policy is aimed at children from migrant families, those with disabilities, and also plans to address adult illiteracy as well as provide lifelong education for youths, children from the conflict areas and street children.

“We estimate the policy draft will be ready at the end of April. Strategies of the policy were obtained at the central level meeting. The draft will then be presented at the central level meeting of the regional/state level for feedback,” added Dr Khine Myae.

The central level meeting on the alternative education policy framework was held on February 7 and 8 at Nay Pyi Taw, Mingalar Thiri Hotel.

U Kyaw Kyaw Min Htut, Chairman of the BEAM Education Foundation who attended the central level meeting, praised the policy, saying it would allow children from migrant families to obtain formal or informal education.

“It is good for migrant families,” he said, adding that they could also get access to higher education.

The Department of Alternative Education, which was established in October 1 under the Ministry of Education, has been conducting literacy movements in Kayah State and southern part of Shan State in December 2016 and January this year.

It held its first meeting on the alternative education policy in December 2016 and the second in January this year in Yangon.