Education in Myanmar

By Daw Nyunt Nyunt

Number of Schools, Students and Teachers in Basic Education

Number of Universities, Degree Colleges and Colleges

Universities: 57

Degree college: 46

College: 29

Total: 129

Human Resources Development

There is a need for Myanmar's education and manpower training system to be geared to meet the demands of a modernizing economy. Ministry of Education has responded by initiating (The Human Resource Development Programme). This Programme represents a more flexible and varied form of post-school education and job-oriented training which make optimal use of existing resources.

The National Center for Human Resource Development (NCHRD) based at the Department of Higher Education (Lower Myanmar) was established by the Ministry of Education in June 1998. Under the NCHRD are Centers for Human Resource Development localized at the various universities, institutes, degree colleges and colleges under the Ministry of Education. 

These centers offer a wide variety of options in the form of certificate, diploma or degree courses in such diverse fields as foreign language studies, computer science, computer engineering, accounting studies, business management and teaching. 

These CHRD courses offer more options and consequently more career choices for the young people of Myanmar. Also to promote continuing and further education, the New Century Resource Centers and the Resources for Ancient Myanmar Manuscripts have been opened in Yangon and Mandalay

Equity and access to education

Gender disparity in education is uncommon in modern Myanmar. Women in Myanmar have always been accorded high status and recognition in society. There is very little discrimination based on race, class, color or gender. There is equal access to education for all.

Basic Promotion Programmes for Basic Education

1.    In basic education sector, the promotion programmes for improving the access to and quality of education have been launched since 1998. At present, in order to improve the quality of basic education the whole basic education curriculum has been revised and re-designed to meet the national objectives. The teaching-learning strategy is being changed from teacher-centered to child-centered approach and assessment and evaluation system is also changed from year-end examination system to continuous assessment system. Accordingly, the upgrading of teaching education is made, introducing pre-service training in education colleges to meet the national needs and inservice training programmes are being extended to solve the back-log of uncertified teachers.

2.    The programmes for encouraging community participation are also activated by organizing School Board of Trustees and strengthening of Parent-Teacher Associations.

3.    In applying Information Technology in teaching learning process, up to the end of March 2001, the multi-media classrooms have been organized in 481 basic education schools.

4.    For improving access to education the nation-wide Enrolment Day is being observed in May every year. In this academic year, 2001 - 2002, primary school enrolment increases up to 92.1 percent, comparing to 01.5 percent of the last academic year. Thus, the appropriate strategies are adopted, trying to achieve for all those children to complete the whole primary cycle.

5.    During this decade, over 5,000 new schools were opened. 30, 000 teachers recruited, about 17,000 million kyats of basic education expenditure increased in the Basic Education Sector. The enrolment has been increased 6 million to 7.2 million.

Education Promotion Programmes for Higher Education

1.    Universities, institutes and degree colleges under the Ministry of Education offer a wide range of Bachelor degree courses and Honours degree courses at the undergraduate level, while at the postgraduate level, Diploma, M.Phil., M.A./M.Sc. and M.Research courses are offered. 

2.    Diploma and Degree level courses in 8 foreign languages are provided by the Yangon University of Foreign Languages. 

3.    The 19 Education Colleges under the Department of Education Planning and Training conduct two-year preservice teacher training courses. The Postgraduate Diploma in Multimedia Arts (Education) (PGDMA) initiated in October 1999 for both in-service as well as those who intend to become teachers will provide much needed instructors for multimedia classrooms that have sprung up all over the country.

Increasing International and Regional Cooperation Programmes

1.    Establishing regional and international networking has become one of the concerns of the higher education sector. Myanmar joined the ASEAN University Network in November 1997 and two Myanmar higher education institutions., Yangon University and Yangon Institute of Economics.

2.    Myanmar become a member of SEAMEO in February 1998 and the 15th SEAMEO Regional Center, the SEAMEO Regional Center for History and Tradition was established in Yangon on 15 December 2000.

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Copyright � NUSSU Alliance for Human Development Projects 2002