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Cross-border educational mobility and selective inclusion: GED as an alternative higher education pathway for Myanmar migrant youth in Thailand
Vol 4, Issue 4, 2026
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Abstract
Although there is a formal commitment to inclusive education, international migration and displacement still limit inclusive access to higher education for marginalised youth. Some challenges faced by migrant youth along the Thailand-Myanmar border include insecure legal status, lack of economic security, language barriers, interrupted education, and non-recognition of certificates acquired in migrant education. In this context, the General Educational Development (GED) diploma is a key pathway to college. The present study aims to explore opportunities and challenges of the GED pathway among migrant youth in Myanmar in the context of Mae Sot, Thailand. A qualitative case study and an intersectional lens approach are used to analyze the research results. The research participants are 18 current or former GED learners, university students and graduates, school educators, a GED school principal, and NGO practitioners. It is found that the GED provides flexible study options, less expensive than some overseas options, few employment opportunities, and some opportunities for university admissions. Meanwhile, the process of participation and transition to the next steps is linked to financial resources; documentation; English language skills; previous learning experience; examination arrangements; institutional support; and the recognition of qualifications. The GED thereby serves as a selective inclusion pathway, which not only opens up opportunities for formal education but also channels participation and results in the uneven distribution of legal, economic, linguistic, pedagogical, and institutional resources.
Keywords
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North Bangkok University (Thailand)
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