(Luận văn thạc sĩ) awareness and willingness on renewable energy utilization toward sustainable development among post secondary students from myint mo education foundation

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI VIETNAM JAPAN UNIVERSITY NAW KHU KHU SAN AWARENESS AND WILLINGNESS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY UTILIZATION TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AMONG POST-SECONDAR

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

VIETNAM JAPAN UNIVERSITY

NAW KHU KHU SAN

AWARENESS AND WILLINGNESS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY UTILIZATION TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AMONG POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS

FROM MYINT-MO EDUCATION

FOUNDATION (MEF), MYANMAR

MASTER’S THESIS

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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

VIETNAM JAPAN UNIVERSITY

NAW KHU KHU SANN

AWARENESS AND WILLINGNESS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY UTILIZATION TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AMONG POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS

FROM MYINT-MO EDUCATION

FOUNDATION (MEF), MYANMAR

MAJOR: CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and above all, I would like to thank the Almighty GOD for letting me through all the difficulties, for his constant love, countless blessings and granting me the necessary wisdom to accomplish successfully

I would like to express my deep thanks to my Scholarship Organization, ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF-VJU) for enabling opportunity to study for a two-year master program specializes in Master of Climate change and development (MCCD)

Japan-I would like to thank to my Vietnam Japan University, VJU especially to Master of Climate change and development (MCCD) program and all members of VJU for allowing me to study for my master‟s degree and for all the supporting

I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my supervisor, Prof Dr Megumi Sakamoto for accepting me to be my supervisor and for his valuable contributions and instruction in many different ways at every stage of my master thesis Even though all the process were going via online, he was a great mentor always ready to help me and always encourage me to try hard on my study Without his details guidance and support, this thesis would not have accomplished I can‟t say thank you enough for his extremely patience encouragement, wise advice, consistent support and guidance especially during the seemingly challenging times

I would like thank to Prof Dr Myint Thida for supporting and giving motivation during academic periods and always giving advice for studying even in busy time Moreover, I would like to thank to all of the teachers and students from Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF) for providing all the necessary information for my master thesis

I would like to express my special thanks to my family for their encouragement in numerous ways and spiritual support in all aspects of my whole life Finally, I would like to thank all of my MCCD friends who are always helping each other throughout academic years All in all, I am really thankful to all the people who had been supported me during my whole academic years

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES i

LIST OF FIGURES ii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 The necessity of the research 1

1.2 The research questions and objectives 3

1.2.1 Research questions 3

1.3 Research hypotheses 4

1.4 Objects and scope 5

1.4.1 Research objects 5

1.4.2 Scope 5

1.5 Research framework 7

1.6 Terms and definition 8

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 9

2.1 Sustainable development 9

2.2 Renewable energy 10

2.3 Awareness and willingness to use RE 11

2.4 Myanmar's educational system and MEF 15

2.5 International cooperation to make national electrification plans for Myanmar 21 2.5.1 Myanmar national electrification plan 2014 (MNEP) (World Bank) 22

2.5.2 Myanmar national electrification program (NEP) 2014 CASTALIA 23

2.5.3 National electric master plan（NEMP）2014 JICA 24

2.5.4 Power sector development in Myanmar2015, (PSDM) ADB 25

2.6 Myanmar climate change master plan (MCCMP) (2018-2030) 26

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 28

3.1 Research design 28

3.2 Population 28

3.3 Research instrument 28

3.4 Data collection 29

3.5 Data analysis 30

3.6 Validity and reliability 32

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 34

4.1 Questionnaire response rate 34

4.2 Research finding 34

4.2.1 General characteristics of the respondents (teachers) 34

4.2.2 School Attribution 36

4.2.3 Accessing the needs to introduce CC, RE and SD 38

4.2.4 General characteristics of the respondents (students) 42

4.2.5 Accessing the students’ knowledge related to renewable energy 43

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4.2.6 Accessing the students’ sources of information getting about RE 45

4.2.7 Accessing the level of students’ awareness and willingness on RE utilization toward SD 47

4.3 Main finding 50

4.3.1 The means and standard deviation results of students’ awareness and willingness 50

4.3.2 The T- test analysis results of significant difference between females and males students’ awareness 50

4.3.3 The T- test analysis results of significant difference between females and males students’ willingness 51

4.3.4 The one way ANOVA results of significant effect of sources on the students’ awareness 52

4.3.5 The Pearson correlation results of significant relation between students’ awareness and willingness 52

4.4 Discussion 53

4.5 SWOT analysis on student‟s awareness and willingness on Renewable Energy, Climate Change mitigation and Sustainable development goals in Myint-Mo Education Foundation academies 58

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 59

5.1 Conclusions 59

5.2 Recommendations 60

5.2.1 Recommendations for National Governments and Local Governments 60

5.2.2 Recommendations for Stakeholders 61

5.2.3 Recommendations for Curriculum Developers 61

5.2.4 Recommendations for MEF Academies 61

5.2.5 Recommendations for Further Researchers 62

REFERENCES 63

APPENDICES 70

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2 1 : Number of Schools, Teachers and Students in the 2015 - 2016 Academic

Year 15

Table 2 2 : Enrolment rates in ethnic schools 19

Table 3 1 : Data collection process 29

Table 3 2 : Data analysis method 30

Table 4 1: Demographic Profile of the Respondents (Teachers) 34

Table 4 2 : Subjects of school teaching related to CC, RE and SD 36

Table 4 3 : Information getting about renewable energy 36

Table 4 4 : Information about the factors that mainly needed for teacher 37

Table 4 5 : Classroom materials needed for the students 37

Table 4 6 : Percentage of current working community needed to introduce RE 38

Table 4 7 : Percentage of sectors mainly needed for promoting RE in the region 38

Table 4 8 : The sectors needed to improve for students learning in each academy 39

Table 4 9 : Teachers‟ requirement to enhance RE education in classrooms 39

Table 4 10 : Feeling about the current program of the academy to teach RE and SD 41 Table 4 11 : Teachers‟ self-assessment of the knowledge on RE,CC and SD 42

Table 4 12 : Demographic Profile of the Respondents (Students) 42

Table 4 13 : Renewable energy device students have actually seen before 43

Table 4 14 : Information getting about renewable energy 46

Table 4 15 : The level of students‟ awareness on RE utilization toward SD 47

Table 4 16 : The level of students‟ awareness on RE utilization toward SD 48

Table 4 17 : The attitude of students‟ willingness on RE utilization toward SD 49

Table 4 18 : The students‟ means and standard deviation score 50

Table 4 19 : Students‟ awareness T-test analysis 51

Table 4 20 : Students‟ willingness T-test analysis 51

Table 4 21 : One way ANOVA analysis results of the students 52

Table 4 22 : Pearson Correlation results of the students 52

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 1: Map of the MEF academies location 6

Figure 1 2 : Research Framework 7

Figure 2 1 : Major stages of awareness development process 12

Figure 2 2 : Technology Acceptance Model 14

Figure 2 3 : The Old and New Basic Education Systems 18

Figure 2 4 : International Cooperation to make National Electrification Plans for Myanmar 22

Figure 4 1 : Percentage of the students‟ familiarity with the concept of RE, CC and SD 43

Figure 4 2 : Percentage of Students willingness to study about renewable energy 44

Figure 4 3 : The students‟ respond on the electricity of Myanmar generated by RE 45

Figure 4 4 : The students‟ respond on accessing the education about RE in the class 46 Figure 4 5 : The factors mainly needed to study about RE in the MEF academies 46

Figure 4 6: The quality of education in the respondents academies‟ on RE, CC and SD 47

Figure 4 7: Summary of SWOT Analysis 58

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ADB Asia Development Bank

CC Climate Change

CMA Cherry Myay Academy

EGG Education Gathering Group

GoM Myanmar Government

JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

KG Kindergarten

LUA Level Up Academy

M/P Master Plan

MCCMP Myanmar Climate Change Master Plan

MEF Myint-Mo Education Foundation

MOEP Ministry of Electric Power

MSDP Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan

NEMC National Energy Management Committee

NEMP Myanmar National Electrification Plan

NEP National Electrification Program

NGOs Non-governmental Organizations

PSDM Power Sector Development in Myanmar

PTA Pinnya Tagar Academy

RE(S) Renewable Energy (Sources)

SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

VA Victoria Academy

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 The necessity of the research

Renewable energy (RE) resources often refer as clean source of energy which cannot be depleted easily It is naturally replenished which can provide enough energy

sources for long term period (Renewable Energy | National Geographic Society, n.d.)

Nowadays, the demand of energy consumption is very high which is widely used by non-renewable energy sources and it can harm to our planet day to day by emitting greenhouse gases such as CO2 gas According to National Geographic Society, USA

still depends on non-renewable energy sources (Renewable Resources | National

Geographic Society, n.d.) Therefore, it needs to develop sustainable ways for the

future and renewable energy is one of the energy sources that can bring sustainable development which could help to achieve to the climate target of Paris Agreement

There are so many renewable energy sources which include Wind, Solar and Hydroelectric energy are three main sources among them According to the Norway pioneering sustainability, the electricity of Norway has been used from renewable

sources since the end of the 1800s (Renewable Energy Production in Norway -

Regjeringen.No, n.d.) The Philippines and Indonesia are the second and third largest

geothermal power generators, respectively, Japan and China were the top solar PV markets in 2014 In Myanmar, the investment on renewable energy is still slow but Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) (2018-2010) highlights increasing renewable energy generation as one of its Strategies and Action Plans It is therefore crucial to investigate the students‟ awareness on renewable energy towards sustainable development to be able to positively influence and strengthen in the areas of energy conscious generations

It is obvious that natural resources are gradually running out due to excessive extract using for daily human commodity People are more self-centered for the sake

of their current luxury and nothing can stop human cupidity on the other hand Natural resources are extracted without limitation either legally or illegally around the world Besides, there is vulnerable treatment or handling for the global suffering from unstoppable devastation although respective organizations of environmental

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preservations are striving to conserve our planet accordingly It cannot deny that it has been quite late to save our planet efficiently but this is only the right time to begin effective preservation as much as we can afford If not, it will be completely running out and there will be only a stuck for our future generation Running out of resources can affect many matters of people Climate change is one of the obvious effects, which

is getting worse as long as the natural resources is coming to an end because running out of resources is directly proportional to rate of climate change Climate change is a big concern to handle for every country around the world Currently, disasters like global warming, drought and over-flooding due to climate change is occurring in each part of the earth Consequently, numbers of people are suffering from natural disasters and struggling to make a living Furthermore, crisis over different industries and aspect

is happening to lead people on the state of distress

Climate change is manifest in the country with plenty of natural extract especially in the eastern country The resource curse is that countries with an abundance of natural resources tend to have less economic growth, less democracy, and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources To be more specific, most Southeast Asia countries are effective example of confronting resource curse Myanmar that is one of the Southeast Asia countries has natural resources including oil and gas, various minerals, precious stones and gems, timber and forest products, hydropower potential, etc Large amount of country‟s revenue is currently dependent on such natural extracts To date, there has been a very low level

of systematic exploration of Myanmar‟s natural resources due to lack of modern

survey techniques (Rainer Einzenberger | Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, n.d.)

One of the strategies and action plans in MSDP is to increase renewable energy generation Hence, practice of using renewable energy is a vital sector to boost as a highly recommend even though Myanmar is rich of natural extract As long as the natural extract like forest and mountains to maintain the environment is gone, climate change like global warming, ice melting, water rising, flooding may occur consequently Next, it is inevitable that our future generation is going to suffer from such severe crisis although it is acceptable that people can afford to make a living without any natural resources Since it is aware of the consequences, limited

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extracting resources is crucial to conduct accordingly Substitution of using renewable energy is a significant resolution to proceed in order to limit the extraction of non-renewable energy It is not easy to utilize renewable energy for Myanmar because it needs high-tech to operate renewable energy effectively However, basic change of our daily routine can also contribute to increase using renewable energy For instance, setting up and using solar panel is also a positive transition of using renewable energy because solar energy is one of the inexhaustible natural energy On the other hand, the mindset and deed of everybody over using renewable energy is also very important Contribution of each person towards climate change is fundamental to make a move forward constructive change

Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF) is a non-profit organization based in Myanmar without funding support from government There are five academies under the MEF and each academy is situated different states in Myanmar All academies are delivering same curriculum which includes various development subjects Among them, Environment topic is contained in the Social Science subjects Each of the academies is also initiating environmental activities normally with the conscious of environmental conservation aspect Throughout five academies, some alumni are working for environment as an environmentalist actively However, it is still weak at consideration and contribution for environmental aspect especially for climate change Besides, consideration of renewable energy is still aside of their concept Therefore, this study is considering to do research about the willingness and awareness of students from Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF) in Myanmar over the renewable energy towards sustainable development Eventually, this research is expected to deliver helpful recommendation for MEF to consider climate change mitigation for the sustainable development

1.2 The research questions and objectives

1.2.1 Research questions

To guide the study, the following research questions are raised:

1) What is the level of awareness and willingness of the students on renewable energy utilization in regard to sustainable development?

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2) Is there any relation between awareness and willingness of the students on renewable energy utilization in regard to sustainable development?

3) What is the requirements of the current situation to convey effective message

to the schools and leaders for sustainable development?

4) Which factors of the schools need to improve in order to promote effective renewable energy awareness and willingness of the students?

1.2.2 Objectives

The purpose of this study is to explore the awareness and willingness of secondary students from Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF) on renewable energy which will get a good outlook on the impact of climate change mitigation towards sustainable development The specific objectives of the study are:

post-1) To investigate the willingness and awareness of the post-secondary students

on renewable energy utilization toward sustainable development

2) To investigate the relation between students‟ awareness and willingness on renewable energy utilization toward sustainable development

3) To investigate the requirements of the current situation to convey effective message to the schools and leaders for sustainable development

4) To provide recommendations to the schools to promote effective renewable energy awareness of the students

In order to achieve the objectives of the research, the tasks will be included literature review, data analysis, assessing the present of MEF students‟ awareness and willingness on renewable energy utilization toward sustainable development and providing strong recommendation in order to achieve sustainable development

4) There is a significant relation between awareness and willingness of the students on renewable energy utilization toward sustainable development

5) Education on Renewable energy has been organized in all schools but still need to improve school facilities, human resources and teaching equipment 6) Education on renewable energy need to promote nationwide and still need so many supports from differences sectors such as government sectors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), etc to provide funding, quality education

1.4.2 Scope

This study was focused on the awareness and willingness on renewable energy towards sustainable development among post-secondary students from Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF) The study was conducted in five Academies of MEF and the target area is located in geographically different parts of Myanmar which are Karen State, Kayah State, Kachin State, Shan State and Chin State

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Figure 1 1: Map of the MEF academies location

Adapted from : (Myanmar.Png (270×599), 2013) h

1.5 Research framework

The research objectives of this study was to investigates the students‟ awareness and willingness on renewable energy utilizing in terms of sustainable development This study, reveals the importance of students‟ awareness and willingness on renewable energy utilizing in terms of sustainable development

The study of the research framework were provided in the following figure 1.2

Figure 1 2 : Research Framework

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1.6 Terms and definition

Renewable energy: Renewable energy is energy from sources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited; renewable resources are virtually inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time Renewable energy resources include biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action (eia, 2020)

Climate Change: Climate change is a long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns Often climate change refers specifically to the rise in global temperatures from the mid-20th century to present (National Geographic, 1996)

A change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods (UNFCCC, 2011)

Sustainable Development : Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (United Nations, 1987)

Awareness: Awareness in general means, knowledgeable being conscious; cognizant, informed alert Awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, or sensory patterns (Gafoor, 2012a)

The quality or state of being aware, knowledge and understanding that something

is happening or exists (Merriam Webster, 1839)

Willingness : The quality or state of being prepared to do something; readiness (Oxford, 2021)

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Sustainable development

Due to the rapid advancement of science and technology, the international community is currently confronted with a variety of global issues Sustainable development challenges have recently gotten a lot of attention from the public and governments as environmental difficulties in many nations across the world

Sustainable development is defined as keeping the quantity of resources consumed

by society for today's requirements at a level that does not deprive future generations of those resources In other words, sustainable development is defined as development that meets current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own (Hassan & Rahman, 2011)

Sustainable development, according to this definition, has three dimensions: economic, social, and environmental As a result, it has become important to meet the ever-increasing energy demand in order to accomplish sustainable development; in other words, to raise individual living standards, actualize societal production, and reduce pollution of the resources employed in these processes (Ozturk, Acaravci, 2011)

The United Nations has stressed the steps countries should take by 2030 for sustainable development by identifying 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) A substantial relationship between the usage of renewable energy sources and sustainable development has also emerged Everyone should have access to inexpensive, reliable, contemporary, and sustainable energy, according to the seventh goal The relevance of renewable energy for long-term growth has been emphasized in this regard (Guney, 2019a) UNESCO's efforts to promote the right to education and support the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals are intimately tied to gender equality (SDGs) SDG 4 aims to "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for everyone," while SDG 5 wants to "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls" through the Education 2030

Framework for Action (Education and Gender Equality, 2021)

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For the sustainable development, the environmental education is also important Environmental education has been integrated into the educational system from elementary school to tertiary level to achieve success in sustainable development Environmental education aims to promote people knowledg related to environmental issues, as well as awareness of how to solve environmental problems and motivated people to work toward solutions (Stapp, 1969)

The utilization of renewable energy resources, such as solid-state lighting instead

of traditional lighting technologies, can become an effective solution to many local energy problems in the context of modern environmental and climatic difficulties (Adhikari et al., 2019)

Renewable energy technology can also help provide energy for cooking, space heating, and lighting in an indirect way By giving electricity to schools, renewable energy may also help with education Renewable energy initiatives in many developing nations have shown that renewable energy may directly contribute to improving people's lives by providing the energy required to start businesses and create jobs (Alhayali et al., 2017a) In Bangladesh, the use of renewable energy in rural and inaccessible places could

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improve access to electricity and thereby raise people's living and social standards (Anwarul Islam & Salma, 2016)

The utilization of RE in society has positive impact on the community as above mentioned In order to bring more healthy society in using energy, it is important to promote the knowledge related to the renewable energy in the education sector too By promoting RE education, it will lead to sustainable development to the society

2.3 Awareness and willingness to use RE

Awareness

Awareness is an important feature of human activity since it influences human behavior and gestures According to (Gafoor, 2012a), awareness is the state or ability to notice, experience, or be aware of an object or pattern Awareness can be used to determine a person's impression of how they feel or comprehend certain concepts

Measures of awareness are commonly classified into three categories: scales, tests, and questionnaires The goal of awareness measurement is to find out what respondents know and don't know As a result, anytime a measure of awareness is being developed, following the procedures outlined below will aid in better clarifying the nature of the construct in question and operationalizing it 1) Determine the sort of awareness 2) Defining the domain's nature 3) Choosing a natural population 4) Identifying the measure's goal 5) Defining the domain and creating things within it 6) Editing and analyzing items, and 7) Demonstrating Reliability and Validity (Gafoor, 2012b)

According to Redzuan 2001, knowledge, perceptions, and practices are the three basic areas of awareness As a result, knowledge can be gained through observing, hearing, and media that are readily available The perception conveying information about ourselves and our community Individuals' perception perceptio will provide something useful, such as a method or suggestions The act is committed by an individual

or a community to address and decrease the consequences of malpractice in terms of practice As a result, the combination of components of knowledge, attitudes, and practices will inspire and teach individuals to respond positively to a certain object, particularly energy efficiency actions As a result, this combination is critical to the success of energy efficiency initiatives (Ibrahim, n.d.)

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Figure 2 1: Major stages of awareness development process

Source: (Choong et al., 2006) One of the research identified three important stages in the development of awareness (Figure 2.1) The first stage (input) is the environmental stage, in which external stimuli serve as the major input According to the principle of learning, a person's behavior will change as a result of his interactions with the environment The second step is the mental one (process) Perception and cognition are necessary in this situation for handling, selecting, and understanding information The third stage (output)

is the behavioural stage, in which all of the data received is mirrored in the receiver's behavior (Choong et al., 2006)

According to (Wong, 1997), awareness is the seed for tomorrow's changes, hence raising energy awareness is the first stage in a behavioral approach to energy conservation However, one of the research have revealed that society is under-informed regarding the utilization of renewable energy in energy production (Aslanidou & Menexes, 2008)

The process of producing consciousness would necessitate a re-examination of the learning-awareness link Learning is the process of mastering a specific ability, such as reading, typing, playing a game, or even walking and talking (in early human stages) (Wai et al., 2006) In one study, it mentioned that raising employee awareness is one of the most effective ways to motivate them to conserve energy (Turner, 2001)

Raising the educational level of youth and increasing their environmental consciousness will thus aid in the development of responsible future energy consumers Not only to the youth but also teacher education in the area of renewable energy is critical in this setting Teachers with sufficient knowledge of renewable energy will assist

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students in gaining accurate information and values related to this issue of understanding the benefits of renewable energy to society and the environment (Liarakou, Gavrilakis, Flouri, 2009)

Therefore, it is necessary for implementing energy education at all levels of education, including high school, university, and other academic institutions (Halder, 2011) By enhancing the energy education in education sectors, it will promote the knowledge both to teachers and students If not, the energy educational knowledge will

be still limited Knowledge is described as awareness, and lack of knowledge is defined

as a lack of awareness (Wai et al., 2006)

Willingness

Willingness is a psychological state that shows an individual's willingness to engage in the behavior when acceptable circumstances arise (Matear, 2014) The vast bulk of extant research focuses on either public approval or willingness to pay for renewable energy However, people's willingness to use renewable energy and the factors that influence that willingness are rapidly becoming recognized (Altuntas, Turan, 2018)

Regarding to the willingness on using renewable energy, one of the study mentioned about the Technology Acceptance Model The modified version of the technology acceptance model (Figure 2.2) Users embrace new technology based on their perceptions of how easy it is to use and how valuable it is, according to the model Individuals' perceptions of the benefits that a specific technology will provide them are explained by perceived utility (e.g improve their standard of living, be less harmful to their health, environmentally friendly, etc.) Other factors such as household characteristics (e.g., age, income, level of education, gender, expenditure, etc ), availability of renewable energy alternatives, accessibility of energy and associated accessories, awareness of energy and its benefits, government policies, to name a few, all influence households' and the general public's attitudes toward renewable energy (Adjakloe et al., 2020)

The Technology Acceptance Model describes human attitudes toward using technology as a mediating variable between people's intentions to patronize energy and their perceptions of its ease of use and utility However, the effect of perceived ease of

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use, perceived usefulness, and external variables indicated previously in this study considers attitude toward renewable energy consumption to be a mediating factor (Adjakloe et al., 2020)

Figure 2 2: Technology Acceptance Model Source: (Adjakloe et al., 2021) Acceptance by the general public is a first step toward renewable energy sources (RES) adoption, but willingness to use RES extends beyond passively accepting transmission and generating capacities It necessitates stakeholders' active participation in the energy transition as well as the active willingness (Komendantova & Yazdanpanah, 2017)

As mentioned above, the stakeholders are important in energy transitions but the important education factors should not be ignored In one study presented that, education has also been discovered to be one of the most important factors in the adoption of renewable energy (MacPherson & Lange, 2012)

According to (Swofford & Slattery, 2010) research finding, both household and respondent education were key drivers of desire to use energy, which was consistent with prior research that found that greater education levels were linked to a higher likelihood

of using contemporary fuels

Study by (Ntanos, Kyriakopoulos, Chalikias, Arabatzis, & Skordoulis, 2018) also mentioned that, in Greece on public opinion and willingness to accept renewable energy,

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and found that willingness to adopt renewable energy was directly associated to education

According to literature described above, it was undeniable that the important of education in promoting RE utilizing Renewable energy education for students at a young age, in particular, will help to raise experts who understand the benefits and drawbacks of using natural resources, and these persons will contribute to the country's economy (Altuntaş & Turan, 2017a)

However, few study has looked specifically at young respondent groups like undergraduate students whose subject of study is strongly tied to the environment Therefore, more study on the education sectors especially to students is necessary regarding RE utilizing Renewable energy utilization and implementation can be effective and long-term if the general population is educated about the consequences and benefits of using renewable energy on humans and the environment (Yazdanpanah et al., 2015)

2.4 Myanmar's educational system and MEF

Myanmar was known as Burma until 1989, when the military leadership chose to alter the name to reflect the ethnic diversity of the country (Haydena & Martin, 2013) Myanmar is one of the member of ASEAN countries

Along with the transformation of political situation, Myanmar education system was changing period by period Myanmar's present basic education system consists of six years of primary school (Grades 1 to 6), three years of lower secondary school (Grades 7

to 9) and two years of upper secondary school (Grades 10 and 11) Myanmar now has 47,365 basic education institutions with a total student population of 9.26 million The Ministry of Education's Department of Basic Education oversees the majority of these schools (MOE)

Every year, the 1st of June is the official start date for schools in Myanmar Table 2.1 shows the number of schools, teachers, and students in basic education for the 2015-

2016 academic year

Table 2 1: Number of schools, teachers and students in the 2015 - 2016 academic year

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No School Category Number of Basic

Education Schools (2016)

Number of Teachers

Number of Students

Kindergarten and preschool

Preschools are for children over the age of two who are in long-term care or are in the public system Kindergarten begins at the age of five years and eight months (not younger than four years and eight months at the time of the school's start date) Myanmar's Ministry of Education's Department of Basic Education oversees primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools

Education at the primary level

Primary education is the initial level of basic education and is, in theory, mandatory Primary education is divided into two cycles: lower and upper primary It lasts five years and includes one year of pre-school education (kindergarten) The minimum age for entry is five years old It lasts six years, and students must pass a comprehensive test of core topics after Standard 4 to progress to secondary school KG begins at the age of five, and the actual teaching and learning process begins there

Secondary education

Secondary schools, which include both middle and high schools, are frequently combined Standard 5 to Standard 8 (lower secondary level) are offered at Secondary

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Middle Schools, whilst Standard 9 and Standard 10 (Matriculation) are offered in Secondary High Schools (upper secondary level)

Middle schools are the first stage of secondary education, when students progress from Standard 5 to Standard 8 before taking their Standard 8 exams All students in high school must take Myanmar, English, and Mathematics as required subjects Geography, history, and economics are majors in the arts, while chemistry, physics, and biology are majors in science Students appear for their university admission examinations (matriculation examinations) yearly in March, administered by the Ministry of Education's Board of Examinations, at the completion of their two-year high school period, i.e at the end of Standard 10 (Matriculation)

Myanmar has a new basic education system

Kindergarten (KG) was classified as Grade 1 in 1998, and since then, KG has been used for actual teaching and learning rather than singing and playing, as is customary globally Even though the students are only 5 years old, the former Standard 1 syllabus is taught in KG Myanmar's academic standards are one year ahead of the internationally recognised age standard

The diagram below depicts a comparison between the Old and New Basic Education Systems

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Figure 2 3: The Old and New Basic Education Systems

Furthermore, a considerable number of students attend monastic, private,

community, and ethnic education institutions to receive basic education

from the UK and Australia, the Myanmar Education Consortium (MEC) has $22 million

to invest in the country's education system over the next five years, focusing on both ethnic community schools and monastery institutions (Oxford Bussiness Group, 2017)

In 22 November 2019, NAY PYI TAW – Myanmar today unveiled the country's first-ever Alternative Education Subsector Policy Framework, which will govern the development and implementation of out-of-school education activities “This strategy is

in line with the Ministry of Education's policy of „leaving no child behind,' and will also help the nation achieve its goals under the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) and the National Education Strategic Plan (2016-2021),” said Deputy Minister

U Win Maw Tun in his opening remarks (UNICEF Myanmar, 2019)

Education spending as a proportion of GDP increased from 0.7 percent in FY 2011/12 to 2.1 percent in FY 2013/14 Despite the rise, Myanmar still lags below its ASEAN countries, who spend an average of 3.6 percent of GDP on education Limitations in the quality of education services at all levels of schooling, as well as the quantity of competent teachers, as well as poor school infrastructure and obsolete teaching methods, are all major difficulties in Myanmar In addition, many children's learning paths are being disrupted by long-running conflicts and calamities (Oxford Bussiness Group, 2017)

In the conflict-affected or ceasefire areas of Kayin (Karen), Kayah (Karenni), Shan, and Rakhine (Arakan) States, just one out of every ten children was able to attend elementary school in 2005 In many ethnic minority communities, resistance groups have also succeeded in establishing and administering their own educational institutions For instance, schools run by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), and the Karen National Union (KNU) The schools were established

in these locations as a direct response to the ethnic communities' perceived marginalization within the governmental system There are at least 2,420 ethnic schools serving over 228,000 students across primary, middle, and high school levels (Lopes Cardozo & Maber, 2019)

Table 2 2 : Enrolment rates in ethnic schools (Jollife 2014) State No of schools No of

students

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Kachin 279 23,000 Kayah 505 50,351 Kayin 1,294 141,623 Mon 142 13,000 Shan 200+ unknow

Source from :

(Education-System-in-Myanmar-Brief-Description-of-Primary-Secondary-Tertiary-Education.Pdf, n.d.)

Additional ethnic education programs are also run through churches or monastic schools in these areas (Lall & South, 2014)

Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF)

Myint-Mo Education Foundation (MEF) is a non-profit educational organization (registered organization) MEF, which is currently financed by Child's Dream Organization and under MEF, there have five academies

In Child‟s Dream, it consists of Child's Dream Association Switzerland and Child's Dream Foundation Thailand as charitable organization

– In Thailand and Laos, the Child's Dream Foundation (Thailand) implements and sponsors the project activity

– In Myanmar and Cambodia, the Child's Dream Association (Switzerland) implements and sponsors the project activity

Child's Dream Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping underprivileged communities in the Mekong Sub-Region, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand (Child‟s Dream Annual Report, 2020)

Since 2013, Child's Dream has been a supporter of the Myint-mo Education Foundation (MEF), formerly known as the Myanmar Community Academies Program (MCAP) MEF now conducts five academies in Kayin (Karen), Kayah (Karenni), Kachin, Shan, and Chin ethnic states The school curriculum, objectives, and values are all the same throughout all of the academies It offers a two-year academic curriculum that emphasizes general knowledge, social science, English language, computer skills, social entrepreneurship, project management, and so on

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The academies aim is to help socially-engaged youth from difference backgrounds

to gain the skills and abilities they need to make meaningful changes in their communities Students leave the academies with the skills, awareness, and confidence to actively contribute to the development of their communities, to assist peacebuilding across varied groups, and with the academic skills to continue their education if the students desire so (Siegfried, 2021)

2.5 International cooperation to make national electrification plans for Myanmar

The United States published the “Prohibition on New Investment in Burma” in

1997 After 2004, the United States, the European Union, Australia, and Canada imposed and strengthened economic sanctions on Myanmar International organizations, such as the World Bank, Castalia Strategic Advisor, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Asia Development Bank, are finding it difficult to operate under these economic sanctions Myanmar is also facing economic difficulties, with a national electrification rate of 37 percent, the lowest in ASEAN Myanmar adopted a new constitution and a general election scheme in 2008 Mr Thein Sein was elected as Myanmar's 8th President in 2011 as a result of the new constitution During his presidency (2011-2016), the international community began to de-regulate sanctions This became the starting point for Myanmar's new economic growth Building infrastructure, especially long-term planning for power generation to increase the electrification rate, was a critical task for the country's economic growth International organizations began developing Myanmar's national energy production plans in response

to these demands These contributions bear the four pillars of national plans which support the new development of electrification of Myanmar

These four pillars are;

1) Myanmar National Electrification Plan Towards Universal Access 2015-2030 (MNEP)

by World Bank

2) Myanmar National Electrification Program (NEP) in 2014 by CASTALIA Strategic Advisors

3) National Electric Master Plan (NEMP) in 2014 by JICA

4) Power Sector Development in Myanmar in 2015 by Asia Development Bank (ADB) These four pillars lead to the “Myanmar Climate Change Master Plan (MCCMP )2018-

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2030.” Following these plans, Myanmar established the national target, 100 ％ electrification in 2030 named „2030 Universal Access Plan.‟

Figure 2 4: International Cooperation to make National Electrification Plans for

Myanmar

This section presents these four proposals as well as the MCCMP in order to clarify Myanmar's current power generation situation and to discuss the plans' merits and problems, as well as the "2030 Universal Access Strategy."

It also presents Myanmar's Climate Change Master Plan (2018-2030), which provides important clues for resolving the problem of improving people's lives, particularly in ethnic minority regions, and bridging the gap between urban and rural areas

2.5.1 Myanmar national electrification plan 2014 (MNEP) (World Bank)

The MNEP summary, Development of a Myanmar National Electricity Plan, describes Myanmar's current situation and refers to "Universal Access."

Myanmar has one of Southeast Asia's lowest rates of electrification Myanmar has less than 30% of households with power, and its electricity use per capita is among the lowest in the world Although the electrification rate in urban areas is about 75%, the rural-urban gap in access to electricity is enormous (e.g Yangon and Mandalay), The electrification rate in rural areas is extremely poor, at just 16 percent In reality, most

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rural communities in border areas do not have access to grid-based electricity at all, and some regions and states with a large rural population (such as Ayeyarwady and Magway Regions and Rakhine State) have access to grid-based electricity of less than 10% As a result, access to electricity is a direct indicator of Myanmar's relative and absolute

poverty levels (World Bank, n.d.)

Mr Xiaoping Wang, World Bank, and Maung Win, Myanmar's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, discuss the MNEP and the university's emphasis

on electricity access in 2030, and how to budget for it They say that the vast majority of people are linked to the grids This means that 7.2 million households will be linked, with

a total cost of US 6.0 billion, implying that additional investments in generation and transmission will be needed

Ethnic minority regions such as Chin, Shan, Kachin, and Kayah have the highest cost per link, making them the last to be linked This division is due to cost, but it also has the potential to widen the gap between urban and rural areas, especially in Chin, Shan, Kachin, and Kayah Myanmar's objective of universal access is essential, but the widening of regional divides has the potential to create a new challenge(Wang, 2016)

2.5.2 Myanmar national electrification program (NEP) 2014 CASTALIA

The Myanmar National Electrification Program (NEP) aims to electrify 100% of Myanmar's households by 2030 According to the Earth Institute's geospatial planning results, this would link more than 7.2 million households over the next 16 years (EI) This target completely aligns with the World Bank's 2014 "Myanmar National Electrification Plan," which is currently being reviewed

Myanmar currently has 2.3 million residential electricity connections As a result, Myanmar's electrification rate is among the lowest in the ASEAN region This also means that the cost of connecting the grid and rolling it out across the country would be a significant drain on the national budget

For social, economic, or political reasons, Myanmar's government will alter the rollout series The lowest-cost initiative would need financial help, and the government will have to make further choices on the burden of increased costs It is possible that the

„pre-electrification' program will only be linked to the grid in the late 2020s There has

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been discussion about providing electric power in places such as off-grid or household

solar solutions (Castalia, n.d.).

2.5.3 National electric master plan（NEMP）2014 JICA

The former director of JICA Myanmar, Mr Masahiko Tanaka talked in 2014 about JICS‟s concern about the necessity of the development of electricity supply in Myanmar

As Myanmar building its record of robust economic growth, there will be a sharp rise in electricity demand According to the ongoing JICA-supported National Electricity Master Plan report, it will hit 5 to 8 times the amount in 2012 by 2030 It is consistent with other countries' experiences, drastic as this might sound Given today's low access to electricity (around 30 percent of households), electricity demand is expected to rise even more rapidly than the economy It would be devastating to fail to fulfill this growing demand for electricity (Tanaka, 2014)

In January 2013, the Myanmar Government (GoM) formed the National Energy Management Committee (NEMC) for overall state energy sector issues and implement the National Energy Plan for short-term and long-term objectives in line with the National Energy Policy The draft National Energy Policy with both Myanmar and English versions was compiled and finalized at the end of 2014, based on NEMC discussions

In the reforming of power sector, there has four sectors which are; 1) Power Sector Structure, 2) Power Development Plan, 3) Procurement of Power Fuel and 4) Rural Development (Rural Electrification) as the last one As the last part of Rural Electrification stated that there is a huge difference in the use of electricity as the main source of lighting between urban (77.5 percent) and rural areas (14.9 percent) It suggested that the national grid expansion plan should be aligned with the Rural Electrification NEP currently funded by WB (World Bank) Through this report, the draft

of the future technical assistance project was prepared and there has two considerations

on Environment and Social as well as Gender too (JICA‘s Final Report, 2015.)

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2.5.4 Power sector development in Myanmar2015, (PSDM) ADB

Electricity is critical to social and economic growth as a main infrastructure variable Its funding for a wide range of programs and services enhances people's lives, boosts labor efficiency, and promotes entrepreneurship Its reliable power supply helps households to improve their living conditions by meeting heating, illumination, and cooking needs for people of all income levels It's also a crucial component of economic development, allowing goods and services to be produced in all industries Basic social services such as education, health care, clean water supply, and sanitation are also dependent on it As a result, affordable energy will assist developing countries in meeting the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations Since Myanmar's electricity demand is expected to rise, the government should place a premium on ensuring a reliable, sufficient, and cost-effective supply Despite the country's abundance

of energy options, including renewable alternatives, hydropower remains the country's primary source of electricity, followed by natural gas and coal

In terms of the current state and developments in the power sector, there is a reduced supply of electricity due to a lack of water from reservoirs Around 2000 and

2014, energy usage quadrupled It receives 1555 MW during the regular season, but 1560

MW during the summer In remote areas, there are 678 natural gas plants that have just two hours of energy a day Myanmar does not have any installed renewable energy capacity until 2014

According to PSDM, it points out the absence of systematic planning and programming in Myanmar which is exacerbated by poor governance and inadequate funding aggravate the inefficient management of the sector

Owing to poor organizational management and technological shortcomings in learning and teaching, as well as an inability to compete globally, the energy sector is lagging behind In order to increase energy distribution, the government must collaborate with NGOs and other experts too

However, Myanmar's government is working hard to achieve nationwide illumination by 2030 For poor households, this will result in a better quality of life and growth Many irrigation canals have been constructed in Myanmar, but energy generation

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still needs funding and technology Since energy is the lifeblood of the climate, natural resources and forests must be carefully conserved (Nam et al., 2015)

2.6 Myanmar climate change master plan (MCCMP) (2018-2030)

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2019) investigated whether sectoral results would help Myanmar achieve the MCCS's key objectives and achieve its climate resilience goals

The former Plans by World Bank, CASTALIA, JICA and ADB results in MCCMP MCCMP says its target in Forward conscious about 2015 Climate Change Paris Agreement

By 2030, Myanmar wants to have a stable and happy environment that can withstand changes in climate regimes and whose economic growth is based on integrated low-carbon approaches The Myanmar Climate Change Master Plan (2018-2030) was drafted and approved with the aim of mainstreaming a number of prioritized sectoral short, medium, and long-term initiatives defined in the Myanmar Climate Change Policy and Strategy Furthermore, this Master Plan acts as an operationalizing mechanism for ensuring Myanmar's compliance with its Nationally Determined Contributions to the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change

One of the most significant aspects of MCCMP is its emphasis on the importance of education and raising public consciousness MCCMP lists six sectors as critical to achieving the goal, including education and awareness; “Inclusive and sustainable development needs strengthened education, knowledge, and technical frameworks that promote a climate-responsive society and human resources to design and implement climate-resilient and low-carbon development solutions.” It points out the detailed way to achieve it as follows;

1) Climate change (CC) training for government employees: Conduct climate change knowledge and capacity-building programs aimed at extension agents and government employees

2) Climate change training for academics and researchers: Provide climate change training for university and research organization personnel so that they can produce climate-relevant information and expertise

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3) Establishment of environmental clubs and societies: Create environmental clubs or

societies in schools and universities and assist them in incorporating climate change into

their activities

4) Materials for training and awareness-raising were created and used: To combat

climate change, create farmer-friendly, gender-sensitive training and awareness-raising

materials

MCCMP also mentions Education, Science, and Technology as a sectorial outcome for

a resilient society; „Education sector actors' capacity is being built to incorporate concepts of

sustainable, low-carbon growth and resilience into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula.'

MCCMP asks that primary and secondary schools, as well as higher education institutions,

incorporate climate change into their curriculum, courses, and instructional materials in order

to meet these goals Furthermore, university professors, lecturers, school teachers, and

university graduates will assist the government and private sector in planning and managing

climate change' (UN HABITAT, 2019)

As shown by the MCCMP, the education sector and institutes play an important

role in climate change mitigation, and schools are being asked to provide special

curriculums and course specifics in order to meet the sustainable development goals

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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research design

The researcher took the descriptive survey form in the current study The research done by reviewing load of literature to get the information needed in order to reach the research objectives The questionnaires developed into two parts both for the students and teachers with difference sections The primary data was collected to each academies both to students and teachers through the structured questionnaires which developed through previous research study, reports and articles

After developing draft version of the questionnaires, pre-testing had been conducted to some students Some of the vocabularies of the statements were rephrased into simple one from the previous questionnaires after had done pre-testing process to some students of the research academy, in order to understand the questionnaires form easily Both questionnaires for students and teachers were conducted in English Version

to all the respondents

3.2 Population

The study was conducted to all the senior students of MEF academies and targeted

160 students Only senior students were targeted because, according to the MEF academic calendar, most of the lessons (especially social science subject) had been taught

to senior students by the time of conducting research if compare with junior students Due to the Covid-19 situation, the research could only conduct via online Unfortunately, the survey results was collected only 120 students due to the unexpected political situation of Myanmar (coup) which cut down the internet line in some part of the country and unstable life conditions brought the difficult situation both for students and teachers

to take the online survey form However, there were 30 teachers had been responded which met the expected population for the researcher

3.3 Research instrument

This study is designed as a structured survey questionnaires which consists of difference parts both for students and teacher In students part, there are 6 questions for demographic characteristics, 10 questions that access the knowledge of the students, 23 questions that access the level of students awareness, 10 questions that measure the

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willingness of the students In teacher parts , there are 9 questions for demographic characteristics such as age, gender , education, etc… Moreover, 10 questions which access about the school attribution and 12 questions for accessing the needs of introduce renewable energy and climate change or sustainable developments goals However, only important results were analyzed that were in line with the research objectives The survey questions were asked with three types of questions: multiple choice, dichotomous and Likert scale type which was adapted from the previous research study

3.4 Data collection

The research data collated, and processed to obtain the results of the aims of study The whole process of data collection from the respondents had been taken as the following table 3.1:

Table 3 3: Data collection process

The process of the collecting data

23 Dec

2020

Contacting to principals and explaining the process

of the study By using social media

Informing and confirming the date to conduct After taking advice

from the supervisor

Jan 2021 Sending the questionnaires forms to each academy

and conducting the research By using google form

Feb 2021

Colleting all the survey results and Creating research file (compute, interpret, analyze all the data)

By taking advice from the supervisor

3.5 Data analysis

To collect data for this study, the researcher used an online questionnaire, using the Google Forms tool The information was gathered using a Google form that counted the responses and created a database for the researcher

In the research activities, the respondents got sufficient time to respond and the result data was used to analyze Statistical data techniques was used to analyze the study in order to reach the main objectives of research For the consistency the results data, firstly all the questionnaires results were examined and then coding and entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software for the aim of data analyzing All of the respondents‟ data was analyzed and computed by using SPSS and Microsoft Excel which explored the present situation of the study depend of the research objectives

Table 3 4: Data analysis method -Mix method (both qualitative & quantitative) -Analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS -Descriptive Statistics (Mean, standard deviation, frequency, etc.)

Inferential Statistics Hypothesis Independent variable Dependent variable Test applied

1 Gender Awareness T-test

2 Gender Willingness T-test

3 Sources Awareness One-way ANOVA

4 Awareness Willingness Pearson Correlation The analysis of data for the research questions and hypotheses were accomplished using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, etc…) and inferential statistics ( T-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation)

The hypotheses 5&6 were analyzed using descriptive statistics The survey were asked using a dichotomous and multiple choice questions The first thing that the researcher does is exporting data into a document and presenting in bar chart percentage

to make it easy to interpret After collecting and counting the percentage obtained from respondents‟ answer, the researcher concluded all the answers into a pie chart and make the description of research finding The result presented in percentage calculation in order to make it easy to understand

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The researcher decided to use a simple scale to determine students‟ knowledge for the purpose of the research:

Adopted from: (Siti Rechal, 2019) Students‟ knowledge is low when percentage of yes answer is below 50% and considered high when the percentage of yes answer approximated 100% This scale helps the researcher in interpretation data process

The Likert Scale, created by Rensis Likert in 1932, is a five-point scale that can be evaluated as individual Likert items or as a series of items assessing a construct It is used

in surveys to measure attitude based on respondents' level of agreement (Jamieson, 2004)

In order to access the students‟ awareness and willingness on RE utilizing, the data collected and analyzed using 5 point Likert scale in the form as follows : (5) strongly agree, (4) agree, (3) not sure, (2) disagree, and (1) strongly disagree for the positive statements and the reverse scale for negative statements

Likert scale analysis (mean score) the level of agreement was used to interpret the mean score The level of agreement 0.00–1.50 Very low, 1.51–2.50 Low, 2.51–3.50 Moderate, 3.51–4.50 High, 4.51–5.00 Very high The Likert statements were analyzed both as individual items as well as a group of statements (Latif et al., 2017)

T-test was using for testing for hypotheses 1 & 2 Inferential statistics include the t test It's used to see if there's a statistically significant difference between two groups' means We assume that the dependent variable follows a normal distribution in all inferential statistics There is one independent variable and one dependent variable in a t test Only two levels are allowed for the independent variable (in this example, gender) (male and female) We would perform a one-way (ANOVA) analysis of variance if the independent variable had more than two levels (Siegle, 2015)