Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how her Department ensures that monasteries in Burma which receive funds from her Department promote religious and social cohesion; and if she will make a statement.

DFID supports the Myanmar Education Consortium (MEC) which has the key objective of increasing the number and proportion of children who complete a quality basic education, including within monastic schools. The Burnet Institute is one of the MEC‘s founding partners and channels MEC funding to the Monastic Education Development Group (MEDG), which is the national level coordinating and decision-making body for the monastic education sector. It is a condition of Monastic Education Development Group support that schools not take part in any activity that risks religious and social cohesion. Any school that is found in breach of this requirement will have all funding and support withdrawn immediately. The Burnet Institute works with the management team of the MEDG to integrate peace and conflict resolution into the teacher training program.