Providing a Path to Elementary School Graduation and Junior High School Advancement for Children Who Lost Educational Opportunities Due to Domestic Displacement or Family Circumstances -- Non-Formal Education Begins at Myanmar Childcare Facility "Dream Train"

Scenes from the first day (photographed on July 1, 2026)

NPO Japan Heart, an international medical NGO originating in Japan (Taito-ku, Tokyo, Chairperson: Haruna Yoshioka), has opened a "Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE)" center at its childcare facility "Dream Train" in Myanmar, which began operations on July 1, 2026. This center is for children who have fallen away from formal schooling.

Dream Train is a childcare facility that accepts children aged 5 to 18 who cannot attend school due to family or economic reasons, or who are at risk of human trafficking for the same reasons. It protects, nurtures, and supports the independence of children for whom living with their families is difficult. Currently, 133 children reside at the facility.

However, admission requires a transfer application process under Myanmar's domestic system. Due to various circumstances, such as displacement caused by the political situation, it was difficult to accept children who could not obtain official transfer certificates, even if the facility wished to accept them.

Therefore, the facility has now obtained approval from the Ministry of Education of Myanmar to introduce NFPE functions. NFPE is a system that provides primary education to children aged 10 to 14 who could not continue formal schooling due to domestic conditions, poverty, or family circumstances.

Upon completion of the two-year program, they will receive qualifications equivalent to elementary school graduation, after which they can advance to junior high school.

Starting in July, Dream Train will accept these children, as well as children from economically disadvantaged families living near the facility. A total of 16 children are scheduled to study in the first year.

Classes will be conducted for 2 hours and 30 minutes per day, 6 days a week, for 220 days a year, totaling 550 hours, in accordance with the system's regulations. The program, offered free of charge, aims to equip children with the skills necessary for their future lives and advancement to higher education, including Myanmar language, English, mathematics, integrated studies, career education, learning to foster social skills and life skills, and workbook activities.

In addition to the prescribed curriculum, the facility will also incorporate hands-on learning, extracurricular activities, and special lectures by external instructors to create a learning environment that broadens children's future options.

By establishing this center, Dream Train aims to realize an equal society where disparities are not created based on birthplace or family, and where future life choices are not lost.

[Comment from Reina Nasuda, Head of Dream Train Project (based in Yangon since 2014)]

Dream Train has accepted a total of 403 children to date. However, we were continuously in a situation where we had to turn away children who could not transfer to schools in Yangon.

This year, with the opening of the NFPE center, we have been able to welcome children without transfer documents. While the number is not large, these are children we wished to help but could not reach until now.

A new journey has begun to deliver hope to children with more diverse backgrounds.