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Staff writers Stuart Alan Becker, Mya Kay Khine, Nay Zaw Aung Win, May Thinzar Naing, Cherry Thein, Myat Noe Oo, Bill OToole, Shwe Yee Saw Myint, Phyo Wai Kyaw, Myo Lwin

Contributors Ewan Cameron, Rupin Mahiyaria, Michelle Schaner, San Tun Aung

Editors Myo Lwin, Wade Guyitt

Sub editor Mya Kay Khine Soe

Staff photography Aung Htay Hlaing, Naing Wynn Htoon

Cover photograph Aung Htay Hlaing (Pauktaw township, Rakhine)

Cover design Ko Htway

Page layout Ko Khin Zaw

For feedback and enquiries, please contactwadeguyitt@gmail.com, myolwin286@gmail.com

STUART ALAN BECKERstuart.becker@gmail.com

JUST one in five Myanmar youngsters finishes high school, according to analysis of data gathered by a Comprehensive Education Sector Review (CESR), which began in 2012 and is now in its final phase. Lack of interest has been found to be the primary reason for dropout.

Led by Myanmars Ministry of Education and supported by the Asian Development Bank and other develop-ment partners including UNICEF and the aid agencies of Australia, Germany and Japan the CESR is the first edu-cation study of its kind conducted in Myanmar in 20 years.

Heading the ADBs efforts to dis-cover whats required for Myanmar to transition from a natural-resource economy toward a more profitable ser-vice and technology economy is Chris Spohr, a socio-economist who earned his doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Speaking to The Myanmar Times, Mr Spohr said successful economic transi-tions such as those in Japan and the Peoples Republic of China require the development of human capital, and thus they depend on the strength and

quality of the education system.International experience suggests

education is critical, said Mr Spohr. Myanmars ability to prepare todays youth to be the skilled workers of tomorrow will shape the pace and nature of economic growth, as well as the extent to which that growth is equitable and inclusive.

Mr Spohr said the data collected and analysed in the CESR is important be-cause it enables policy makers at the Ministry of Education to understand the underlying causes of dropout rates, and thus lays groundwork for effective formulation of solutions.

This is the first attempt at hard analysis of the education sector in two decades to generate evidence and hard facts as a basis for pinpointing challenges and priorities for education sector reforms, he said.

Of the 1.1 million Myanmar stu-dents who enter the countrys primary schools each year, only about 300,000 make it to grade 11 (10th standard) in public high schools 11 years later, the study reveals. Of these students, only one-third (just above 100,000) are able to pass the matriculation exam required for high school completion and access to university.

The numbers suggest theres nearly a missing million of youth exiting the school system each year with limited prospects for further education or employment, the study said.

The number of matriculation re-takers those who fail one or more subjects and thus have to wait a year to retake the entire test is also perhaps shocking large, Mr Spohr said. Every year, there are on average 470,000 matriculation exam takers versus only 300,000 grade 11 students.

That means over half fail some multiple times. We dont know what to do, Mr Spohr quoted one parent as saying, after a child resat and failed matriculation three years running.

Whether youth graduate or drop out, the study found little quality education awaiting those wishing to take up a trade. Technical and voca-tional education and training (TVET) is a critical missing component of the educational puzzle.

TVET has generally not provided a pathway for the gross majority of those exiting formal schooling. This is partly because many existing forms of TVET require matriculation exam passage. Analysis of recent household survey data suggests that 1 out of 9 youth age 16-19 were enrolled in higher education, while less than 1% of the remainder were taking any form of training, the study said.

Analysis of findings shows that five out of six Myanmar school children complete primary school. While low, Mr Spohr says this is far from the low-est in the region.

However, he added, Nearly a quar-ter of those who complete primary school fail to transition into middle school [lower secondary education], leaving Myanmar with the lowest tran-sition rate among countries with data in Southeast, East, or South Asia.

Among younger children, the prima-ry factor behind dropping out is that poor families cannot afford to send their children to school. For dropouts from secondary education, however, the most commonly cited factor is lack of interest.

Mr Spohr attributes this to a perva-sive, widespread belief that schools fail to provide relevant quality education which will prepare students for suc-cess in the real world.

This is likely based on parents and students perception about the quality of education that the current curriculum, pedagogy and rote-based assessment are outdated and weakly relevant to the real world or to getting a decent job. In other words, quality is feeding back into access issues, he said.

Quality also drives access through financial costs, which is the second-most-cited reason for exit from secondary grades. ADB-supported analysis under the CESR indicates that high school, not university, is the most expensive level of education in terms of household expenditure burden per child enrolled. That analysis also shows that private tutoring is the largest single component of house-hold spending on education, driven

by the matriculation exam and other rote-based assessments. Once again, quality issues are driving access.

He added, however, that the govern-ment does recognise that secondary education is a critical bottleneck, and therefore a key front line in Myanmars battle to modernise its economy.

CESR analysis of various challenges is now being used by the Ministry of Education and other government agencies to formulate the National Ed-ucation Sector Plan, which will address comprehensive priorities throughout the education sector, from preschool through higher education, he said.

The CESR has provided evidence on the who, when, and why of school dropout and exit, as well as the challenges this poses for Myanmars socioeconomic transformation.

Mr Spohr identifies two key priori-ties needing attention. First, he says, the completion rates of middle school, which are currently less than half, and high school, which are one in five, need

U Tin Aung, 49, TarmweMy son is in the third year of secondary school at MLA International School. I have enrolled him there since the second year of primary. Before that he was at government school but we wanted better-than-ordinary education for him so we decided MLA would be a good place.

He always says that his dream is to become an engineer. I respect that. We are not going to decide what he stud-ies in college or what kind of person he should to be. However, we have to motivate him every time he seems distracted. What we are most afraid of is him succumbing to peer pressure and losing his focus.

We dont know which country he will head to after taking the IGCSEs. He has an uncle in Singapore. However, we dont want everything about his life to be decided by us. All we do now is encourage. Who knows? Maybe hell go to college in the US.

When students leave school and why

A groundbreaking multi-year education review cites lack of interest as primary reason for dropouts, confirms need for sector reform

The missing million: Fewer than one in five graduate high schoolMYA KAY KHINEmya.simplefly@gmail.com

T HE recently approved decision to offer free high-school education is the last of a three-prong lifting of fees for the countrys roughly 8 million state school students. Fees were removed from primary education starting from 2012-13; from secondary (middle-school) education last year, and now from high school, the Ministry of Education confirmed last week.

As The Myanmar Times has previously reported, grade 10 (9th-standard) students now get K1700 worth of textbooks free as well as K700 in school fees, and grade 11 (10th-standard) students are spared K2300 of textbook charges and K800 in school fees. Also lifted are parent and teacher association fees, plus stationery fees of K500.

The news comes as a relief to families whose children were unable to continue their schooling in years past due to insufficient income. However, formal fees are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the true cost to parents of sending a child to school. From car ferries to necessary tutoring in the form of extra-curricular tuition classes, education remains prohibitively expensive for some.

This year, I cant enroll my grade 10 child in school because I faced a problem last year when I couldnt pay the monthly fee to the tuition teachers of my younger children after the first month, said Daw Aye Aye Khaing, mother of six. I asked my two elder children, a grade 11

repeater and a grade 10 student, to help me by working out of school.

Daw Aye Aye Khaing washes and irons for other households in her ward in Yankin township. Her husband works at Theingyi Market in downtown Yangon. Together they pay extra tuition fees of K10,000 for grade 1 and K20000-K25000 for older children. They say having extra after-hours tutoring is the only way students can cover the curriculum properly in Myanmars severely under-resourced public education system.

Since finishing exams, the 10th-grader and the eighth-grader have gone to work. I pool their money each day with neighbours by using a savings club, a system commonly used by those without bank accounts to make it easier to adhere to a savings plan.

Last year, she says, she put away K1000 daily just for the childrens education. This year shes striving for twice that.

While enrollment itself is not expensive, Daw Aye Aye Khaing says, extra stationery and other school costs add up. While textbooks are given free, for example, exercise books must be bought. How much does her family spend on education in total? K150,000 a year, she said.

Thats too much to keep everyone in the classroom at once. One daughter, who failed grade 10 last year, had to take a year out to work.

If she passes grade 10 in this coming year, she will attend grade 11 the next year. But it will cause difficulty for us because the current grade 9 girl will also enter grade 10

at that time.A head teacher from Mingalardon

township, who asked to remain anonymous, said the school system is doing what they can to reduce costs. The teacher added, however, that while some families struggle, others spend unnecessary amounts.

In school we need one book for each subject but some parents are using more books for each subject. For example, they use separate books for grammar or meanings for English class. Then they are spending money on expensive school facilities. So they face high costs for their childrens education.

Daw Ei Pyo Kyi, who lives in Bahan township, has a son attending both state school BEHS 2 Bahan, home to a relatively affluent student body as well as an international school on weekends. For tuition classes to keep up with his state school studies they pay K50,000 a month, while the weekend school costs US$500 a month.

And dont forget his daily K1200 for bus fare, plus K1000 for pocket money.

When there is a traffic jam, I give K4000 daily for his taxi fee, added Daw Ei Pyo Kyi.

She said she spends a total of K9000 a month combined just on exercise books for the state school, tuition and international school classes. Her son also goes through an average of 12 pens in one month, she said, and she has three times had to repurchase erasers and rulers after they disappeared.

The high cost of free ed

Nearly a missing million of youth [are] exiting the school system each year with limited prospects for further education or employment.Comprehensive Education Sector Review

to rise. Second, he says, TVET needs to be

reformed and enhanced to provide a pathway for a much larger number of youth exiting academic education in particular providing access to poor and disadvantaged youth and unskilled workers.

Interventions, including needs-based student stipends and expanding school networks, are also important elements to addressing the current problems, he adds.

The upgrading of rural affiliated, branch, and post-primary schools into full-fledged middle schools may be a low-hanging fruit. But CESR analysis also points to less obvious dimensions that will be particularly critical in Myanmar.

In secondary education, Mr Spohr says the government recognises that reforming the curriculum including transforming textbook content as well as teaching and assessment will be vital in countering the lack of interest

driving most dropouts.ADB has been very proud to

support the Ministry of Education in formulating prospective second-ary education curriculum reforms via two technical assistance projects co-financed by Australia, and working closely with other development part-ners, he said.

To raise the standard of trade train-ing, the findings suggest the need to open the doors to TVET, developing a large array of new programs aimed at providing industry-demanded skills to disadvantaged youth and unskilled workers regardless of academic credentials. ADB, with support from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, is very proud to be supporting the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Industry in developing and pilot testing competency-based modular short courses.

ADB has been the main develop-ment partner supporting secondary education and one of a small number of partners supporting CESR analysis of TVET and higher education, some-thing Mr Spohr says he is proud to be involved in.

From my own perspective, Ive been extremely impressed at the extent to which my government counterparts are willing in fact eager to candidly discuss challenges. Ive seen that more in Myanmar than in any other country Ive covered in my more than 15 years working on education in Asia. Clearly there are huge challenges here. However, I see that candor and com-mitment to work with development partners to get at the root of problems and tap international experience to formulate workable solutions as a huge asset in pursuing solutions.

Of the nations children, about

4 percent, or 45,000,never start school at all.

A total of

1.1 million Myanmar children newly enter the countrys public primary schools each year.

Of these,

5 out of 6 complete primary school.

Of these,

3 out of 4 continue to start secondary school.

Of these,

about 1 in 2 make it to the last year of secondary school.

Of these,

1 in 3 pass the matriculation exam (though some re-take and pass in later years).

As a result, out of 1.1 million students entering public school each year,

just over 100,000 pass directly through to completion.

The biggest reasons for leaving?

Lack of interest and lack of money.

Whats ahead for your child?Daw Ye Ye Oo, 42, ThingangyunTwo of my children finished high school long ago, and the eldest is working in Dubai. My youngest son just passed Grade 8 from BEHS 1 Thingangyun.

My dream is for him to become a doctor. Ever since he was a little boy, he worked hard and passed exams with flying colours, so I strongly believe my dream will become reality. Who wouldnt want to become a doctor? Its a dream for all parents. Being a doctor is such an honour. And the most important thing is you get merit for saving peoples lives. You can help a lot of people that way.

For now, though, I have to keep an eye on him. He spends too much time play-ing games on his phone. When school reopens I might have to take it away.

I dont know whether hell be studying here or abroad after high school. The thing is, we are not very rich. If he really tries hard and gets a scholarship to a country like Australia I would be very happy. Nay Zaw Aung Win

For more information, see:http://www.adb.org/projects/46369-001/documents or http://www.cesrmm.org

Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

4MAY THINZAR NAINGmaythinzar99@gmail.com

FOR students abroad, choosing a university is one of the biggest and most difficult decisions they will make. Interests, location, reputation and a host of other factors come into play. For students in Myanmar, however, selecting a university has traditionally posed far less of a dilemma: Students simply enroll on the best degree course available to them based on their matriculation exam results.

This looks set to change, however, with the introduction of the Ministry of Educations long-debated education reforms. The proposed reforms scheduled to be introduced for the 2015-2016 academic year

include a new system of university admission that will enable students to apply to universities offering courses that match their interests.

Under the current fixed admission system, a lot of students end up studying subjects they are not interested in, one retired senior officer from the Ministry of Education told The Myanmar Times under condition of anonymity.

When they graduate, they work in sectors completely unrelated to their degree subject, which means they dont utilise skills they have learned. With the new system, students will be able to study subjects that interest them, and therefore make a greater contribution to the country.

Under the new system, students will sit entrance exams for the universities of their choice, based on the subject they want to study.

The current system, long derided as outdated compared to those of neighbouring countries, also prevents students who fail their matriculation exams from applying to university straight away. Under the proposal, students can re-sit the entrance tests of the universities they want to attend until they pass.

Entrance exams will be set by individual universities, and institutions across thte country including Yangon University, Mandalay University and the University of Foreign Languages are already preparing the exams for the next academic year.

Our questions will test how much a student is interested in the subject they have applied to study, said U Aung Thu, rector of Yangon University. We wont be testing subjects they have already learned as part of the 10th-standard curriculum. Instead we plan to test students analytical and logical skills.

The director general of the Department of Myanmar Education Research Bureau, Daw Khine Mye, said not all universities will hold entrance exams, however. She said arts and science universities will be excluded under the new system.

We are currently finalising the criteria for operating university entrance exams. They will only be held in some universities, and policies for university entrance will be published soon, she said.

But critics say these changes will pose additional challenges for students. One rector, who wished to

be anonymous, said the new system may encourage corruption among unscrupulous exam administrators.

Bribery of examiners could become a problem. During the transition period we need to be careful to ensure the system is fair, he said, adding that entrance exams could become a burden for students.

Students are already working hard to pass their matriculation exams, and now they have to sit an entrance exam as well, he said.

Budget and space limitations also have to be considered. There will be many students applying to sit the tests, and most universities will not have the space or budget available for all of them to take the exam, he added.

A professor from the University of East Yangon, who asked that his name not be printed, said the content of the exams must also be carefully considered.

It is still being discussed what questions the papers will include. If this system goes ahead, the entrance exams should be rigorously tested to ensure they are fair. Otherwise there is a risk that a university will lose its reputation, the professor said, adding that matriculation exam results should also be considered as part of the admission process.

Whether the reforms will make a difference in a country where decisions regarding students education are often steered by parents many of whom hold conservative views about the prestige of subjects such as medicine and engineering remains to be seen.

But Daw Khine Mye says the new system will significantly increase students choices when it comes to choosing an institution.

Eligible students will be able to attend universities in other regions, so students in other states and regions will be able to attend university in Yangon and vice versa, she said.

Not everyone agrees increased choice will be a relief, however. Education consultant U Aung Kyaw San says the reforms will make decisions about where and what to study even more difficult.

Most Myanmar students have an inability to decide what subject to study, he said. Myanmar students are industrious, but they are weak in decision making.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun and Emoon

PAYALI, 15, knew she was doing wrong when she scribbled prompts on her hands before entering one of Indias thousands of examination rooms But like many other students, the pressure to pass her annual exams was too intense. Failure would jeopardise her chances of climbing out of poverty long shackling her family.

Theres too much to memorise and pressure from parents, teachers and even competition with friends, she told AFP. If you cant handle it all, you fail.

Television footage last month showed dozens of relatives scaling school walls in northern Bihar, one of Indias poorest states, passing cheat sheets through exam-room windows as staff and police looked the other way. The footage made international headlines, forcing authorities to issue parents with fines, but experts were unsurprised.

Arjun Dev, former head of a government body that plans and promotes schools, said an endless overemphasis on memory-testing exams has stubbed out creativity and reasoning.

The system has failed students. It doesnt equip them with necessary qualifications and then overplays the importance of exams, whose certificate is hailed as the ultimate ticket to success, he said.

Until the system changes, cheating will remain a common feature during exams.

Rakesh Kumar, who left school in 2008, makes no apologies for his efforts, including smuggling notes into the exam, hidden under his watch and in his socks.

There werent many teachers or chairs, sometimes no electricity. I lost interest slowly, so I didnt study, Mr Kumar, from Bihar, said.

Sometimes the invigilators wouldnt care much. They turned a blind eye ... That helped. Honestly, I had no choice. I had to cheat..

For better-off students, cameras hidden in buttons, ties, pens and

bras accompanied by Bluetooth technology are available online and in shops tucked away in the backstreets of Delhis old quarter.

Sometimes kids come by to check out the items, shopkeeper Rocky Binwal said, adding that his policy is not to ask questions.

Anand Kumar, who teaches maths to students from poor families in Bihar, said plenty of students work hard rather than cheat, and that teachers needed to work harder to help them.

Also, there needs to be a sense of shame that accompanies cheating and not just when the person gets caught. It

should not be considered the done thing.

AFP

Under pressure, Indias students turn to cheating

NEW DELHI

University application process to be reformed

University application process to be reformed

Proposed overhaul of the university entrance process will mean less focus on matriculation scores and more on self-directed applications by students

Spy pens help kids from better-off families to cheat on Indian exams, while in poorer areas parents pass notes through windows as officials turn a blind eye. Photo: AFP

Students depart BEHS 6 Botahtaung after writing 10th-standard matriculation exams. Photo: Naing Wynn Htoon

5

6SHWE YEE SAW MYINTpoepwintphyu2011@gmail.com

A DRAFT regulatory law for international schools is coming this month, the Ministry of Education says, which should help to sort out some of the legal ambiguities surrounding the status of the institutions.

U Soe Win, deputy director of the Basic Education Department, said a draft will be ready in May, and that while the ministry had earlier met with international school founders to form teams to plan a draft, widespread protest against the National Education Law briefly put progress on the back burner.

Experts have told The Myanmar Times that there are over 1000 so-called international schools in Yangon alone, ranging from enormous institutions to smaller apartment-sized businesses. Regardless of size, however, thus far the non-Myanmar-curriculum schools arent acknowledged as such: Instead, they are classed as holding company licences, making data about them difficult to assess and regulations difficult to enforce.

U Tin Maung Win, managing director from ILBC, one of the largest and longest-established international schools, is among those drafting the international schools law. He said the law will cover everything from tax status to curriculum equality between state and international institutions as well as possible upgrades.

This draft was planned together with 25 international schools by assigning them into groups. There are also some schools contributing to planning the draft by themselves.

After the draft is finished, U Tin Maung Win says, it will be sent to the ministry to be put before parliament for affirmation. If hluttaw affirms the draft, it will become law, he said.

Exactly when this will happen, however, is not yet certain. And in the meantime there are no restrictions on new international schools opening, meaning the business is skyrocketing.

U Tin Maung Win said that with foreign investment rising in Myanmar and the economy growing, the number of international schools is ever-rising, but still not meeting demand from locals and foreigners willing to pay the hefty fees.

One managing director of an international school, who who wished to remain anonymous, said that without a law to arrange oversight, international schools are growing more and more and we dont know how well they are teaching. And people who dont know better are attending.

The source said a dedicated law to govern the schools is needed. But there is an upcoming election. The National Educational Law hasnt been finished. There are also public schools. So the government and the Ministry of Education wont give priority to international schools like us. I think it will take more time.

In the meantime, U Tin Maung Win from ILBC said that, despite enrolment fees rising across the board, and multi-billion-dollar institutions opening up every year offering the best of the UK, US, Singaporean and Japanese curricula, some arrivals from abroad are seeking out still more exclusive options.

Some people came and asked our school to teach their foreigners kids from a foreign company separately, he said. But I responded to them I cant because we dont have enough resources. Translation by Khant Lin Oo

Until it passes, however, the legal status of international schools will remain difficult to pin down, despite their rapidly growing numbers

Draft law in works for international schools

MICHELLE SCHANERmschaner@gmail.com

THE majority of international schools in Yangon expect to hike tuition in the 2015-2016 academic year by an additional 9 percent on average, citing devaluation of the local currency and the high cost of living particularly the cost of housing for staff and teachers.

For children attending the most ex-pensive schools in Yangon the increase is somewhat lower. But annual fees will range from US$11,000 (for preschool children) to upward of $25,000 (for years 12 and 13) to attend either the International School of Yangon (ISY), which has a US-based accredited curriculum, or the newest and most expensive on the block, The British International School Yangon. BISY has the backing of a prestigious, UK-based foundation and an accreditation new to Yangon that distinguishes it from other UK curriculum-based accredited schools.

Thus far the high fees and expected increases do not seem to be deterring par-ents. ISY has waiting lists for most grades in the coming year, and BISY still in its first year has nearly doubled in size.

In terms of demand, the demand here has been really big, said Mark Johnson, head of administration for BISY. Com-pared to [the BIS school in] Kuala Lumpur which was a very quick growing school this has probably surpassed the growth we had there Its been really busy.

Two years ago, the International School of Myanmar (ISM), a smaller interna-tional school with a higher percentage of Myanmar students, informed parents that growing pains and rising costs were forcing the school to raise fees by as much as 20pc in some grades for the following year. The announcement was not received well by parents, some of whom staged a protest outside the school demanding it be more transparent with its finances in order to justify the rising costs.

Those protests were followed by large public meetings, at which parents invited members of the press and confronted school board members, rallying for greater input in management of the school.

The public response surprised board members, said ISMs new director, Ambler Moss, and they have since responded to parent concerns.

It [the protests] certainly changed things, Mr Moss said. He now gives presen-tations to incoming groups of parents to explain precisely how their money will be spent, and to answer any and all questions they may have about the schools manage-ment and financial procedures.

If you tell people instead of surprising people if you tell them the reason and the rationale its not that big of a deal, he said.

In the two years since those protests the school has also increased teacher salaries by as much as 25 percent for some, and has hired more experienced teachers in-cluding couples, to help reduce accommo-dation costs. Still, he said, housing costs alone account for more than 20 percent of the schools overall budget and limit the schools ability to invest in capital projects, such as new facilities for music and the arts, or materials that increase the prestige of the school.

The majority of ISMs students are Myanmar, and many parents pay out of pocket in contrast to ISY and BISY, where many parents have come from abroad and have tuition fees subsidised by their companies or organisations. Depending on the grade, ISMs fees for the 2015-16 school year are expected to be anywhere from 60

to 40 percent lower than those set by ISY and BISY. They will range from roughly $4200 (for pre-kindergarten) to $13,000 for grade 12.

We have to play smarter on some things and we have to do without some things [to keep costs down], Mr Moss said. [The board] still has the dream to keep the school affordable for people.

The Myanmar Times contacted several well-known international schools for this story. Network and Yangon Academy de-clined to disclose their fees for the 2015-16 school year, and said by email they would not be able to comment further given the tight publication deadline. ILBC and The Yangon International School did not respond to emails.

The Myanmar International School of Yangon (MISY) also did not disclose fees for the coming year. But the schools direc-tor, Ethan Van Drunen, said fees would increase in 2015-16, mostly for operating costs related to the schools explosive growth in the past two years. MISY has seen a 58pc increase in enrollment in that time frame, with numbers increasing from 350 students two years ago to an antici-

pated 600 students in the coming year.Our facilities, salaries and our benefits

increased at a rate that is either equal to or higher than our tuition, Mr Van Drunen said.

An estimated 70pc of MISYs student body is from Myanmar, with the remaining 30pc comprised of international students from 27 different countries. Both ISY and BISY, in contrast, are primarily geared toward expatriate children, and restrict the number of Myanmar students to around 30pc of the total student body.

Although Mr Van Drunen did not dis-close MISYs fees for the coming year, he said they are in line with those at interna-tional schools of a similar category, such as ISM.

ISY director Stephen Plisinksi said fee hikes for the coming year would be minimal, at 6pc, and mostly related to operating costs. The schools board made a conscious decision to keep the increase lower, he said, despite a spike in expendi-tures related to an ambitious and ongoing construction project that will add new classrooms in the upper grades, a new sci-ence lab, a gymnasium, a health clinic and a state-of-the art arts centre to the schools compound in Golden Valley.

Even with the construction, the school was able to minimise the fee increase by drawing upon an existing fund for construction costs and choosing to scale back its plans to include a more phased approach, he said.

For the majority of international schools in Myanmar, keeping housing and staff costs down remains a challenge. As a school director, MISYs Mr Van Drunen said he is consistently facing three bottom lines: financial; educational; and a third relating to the schools culture. Complicating these, he said, are the significant uncertainties of doing business in Myanmar rent, cur-rency fluctuation and the changing nature of the country.

Mr Van Drunen said much of his time is spent simply managing expectations of both teachers and parents.

While the teachers Mr Van Drunen hires are recruited via the same agency as ISYs, MISY is not able to offer them the same salary, benefits or overall package that ISY can. Many teachers arrive from countries where they have a better life, more ameni-ties and a lower cost of living. Therefore, he said, he must work harder to find the right teachers for his school.

I tell teachers that their life will be a little difficult and ask them if they are up for the challenge, he said. If the salary and benefits are good enough then teachers will stay until they want to move on to a different culture or a different location. They stay because of the overall mission of the school The salary doesnt make them leave, but it also doesnt always convince them to stay.

International school fees to rise: Whats driving the price?

Our facilities, salaries and our benefits increased at a rate that is either equal to or higher than our tuition.

Ethan Van DrunenMyanmar International Schoo l of Yangon

7THE opening-up of Myanmars economy has meant a boom in the demand for a qualified and skilled workforce, highlighting the importance of government-led Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). TVET is one of the six focal areas of the governments Comprehensive Education Sector Review 2012-2014 that seeks to reform Myanmars education system.

TVET in Myanmar faces several challenges, however. Firstly, training is disparate and managed across some 19 government ministries. Secondly, TVET in Myanmar has not had strong links with private industry and businesses, meaning that training is not always aligned to the requirements of the job market. Thirdly, infrastructure is a major problem, and there is a lack of technology, equipment and well-trained teachers. This has resulted in a lack of trust in the programs and qualifications that are on offer.

The multi-donor Livelihoods and

Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) is strengthening TVET in Kayin State. LIFT promotes income diversification, and encourages non-productive households to step out of agriculture and into more productive sectors of the economy over time. Vocational training can help make this happen.

LIFT is funding the Adventist Development and Relief Agencys (ADRAs) upgrade of TVET facilities in Hpa-an, in a pilot project implemented under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The project found that after 60 years of conflict in Kayin State, young people were now flocking to its capital in search of employment opportunities, as opposed to migrating to Thailand. TVET facilities at Hpa-an Technical College were upgraded, and teachers from the college went to Thailand to take part in Training of Trainers at Thai-run TVET colleges.

Short modular courses were developed for skills that are in high demand in Kayin: agricultural machinery and motorbike repair,

computer studies and tailoring. With a curriculum adapted from the Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) in Thailand, the practical aspects of finding a job are addressed in the training: There are modules on complementary life skills, with information on gender and good nutrition; pre-employment training; and small business skills; and trainees are linked to relevant businesses through a compulsory two-week internship at the end of the course. To help poor students join the course, a living costs stipend is offered.

In the first batch of graduates, 70 percent started their own businesses or found employment, earning a regular monthly income of US$25-200.

Daw Po Po owns a busy printing shop in Hpa-an, and took on two computer graduates as interns. After the two weeks of internship finished, she offered them full-time employment. Its a win-win situation. I get trained staff, and they get sound employment, she says.

Naw Tin Tin Aye used her stipend to get a loan to set up a tailoring shop next to a bus stop in her village. Her average monthly income has been $100, allowing her to grow the business while sending her children to school. People believe in me now, she says, This is the first time in my life that this has happened.

According to the International Office on Migration, three-quarters of Myanmars migrants to Thailand come from Shan, Mon and Kayin states and Tanintharyi Region. With much of Kayins workforce in Thailand, improved TVET training at home will ensure that new migrants are better skilled, can find better employment and send back higher remittances to their families. Workers may also be able to stay at home, as opportunities to be involved in the growing manufacturing sectors arise.

Peace in Kayin means fewer economic migrants to Thailand and more opportunity to educate those at home, writes LIFTs Rupin Mahiyaria

Better skills in a land of entrepreneurs

People believe in me now. This is the first time in my life that this has happened.

Naw Tin Tin AyeVocational training recipient, Hpa-an

Daw Po Po has been running her own printing business for 10 years. The TVET course provides her with a stream of interns. She has kept two of them on as full-time staff. Its a win-win situation, she says. Photo: LIFT/Jacquetta Hayes

LIFT is a multi-donor fund set-up in 2009 to improve the lives and pros-pects of poor and vulnerable people in rural Myanmar. It is funded by the governments of Australia, Denmark, the European Union, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, as well as, from the private sector, the Mitsubishi Corporation. The Fund is managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). For more information, please visit www.lift-fund.org

8CHERRY THEINt.cherry6@gmail.com

TODAY being an artist seems nearly rebellious, but once they were cherished, even by kings. In royal times artists served as ombudsmen for the kingdom, bringing news, information and entertainment to the palace and the public.

In return, they were blessed with royal favour. At banquets, artists ate alongside the king, and because royal custom dictated the king couldnt share a plate with them they ate from special leaf-cups, phet kyuat. Hence they came to be known as phet khuat sar a person who eats from a leaf plate.

When the British seized the Myanmar throne in 1885, the natural order of things was upended, and the leaf-plate-eaters were no exception. With nothing to fill their leaf-plates with, artists gave up the stage for the street. Rather than playing to royal houses or people in authority, they entertained the people, calming their fury, soothing their sadness, reminding them of the cultural roots otherwise being actively swept away by colonial rule.

In return, people appreciated their artists, particularly those who supported Independence. Some gave money; some gave gifts. Though the artists position was diminished, for the ruling British did not praise or promote local artistic traditions, they continued to be cherished.

In time, though, the official antipa-thy trickled down. Some considered artists merely beggars: Public perfor-mances sometimes drew criticism.

In Myanmar, as in many countries, prejudice remains even to this day against pursuing art as a passion let alone entering into it as a career.

Fortunately, the struggle to preserve artistic livelihoods and traditions took institutional form after Independence, in part with the establishment of the Art Institute in 1952, later renamed the State School of Fine Arts and the State School of Dance, Drama and Music. (Both are now located in the architecturally stunning former home of Chinese immigrant Lim Chin Tsong at 131 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road in Yangons Bahan township.) Equivalent institu-tions opened in Mandalay in 1953, and today all four are overseen by

the Department of Fine Art of the Ministry of Culture.

The Departments mandate is stated on its website: To study, expose and preserve Myanmar traditional performing arts, drama, plays, Anyeint classical dramas and national races traditional dance and music; To expose and preserve ten kinds of Myanmar traditional arts and crafts; To carry out cultural exchange programmes with foreign countries; To scrutinize Myanmar fine arts [to check] if it is [in] harmony with norms and customs; To nurture and bring out new generation persons of advanced fine arts through basic painting, sculpture and theatrical training schools and the Universities of Culture.

Daw Mu Mu Khin served as prin-cipal of the State School of Dance, Drama and Music from 1996 to 2010. She told The Myanmar Times it is im-portant to train young generations to cherish the artistic traditional.

Actually art comes from the heart. When I say train it is to appreciate and value it, despite bad attitudes and criticism upon it, she said.

Training artists and promoting the high standards of Myanmar art has been her lifelong devotion, she said. For me, Myanmar performing art is living heritage.

When contacted by The Myanmar Times, Yangons state art schools said they would prefer not to speak to the media.

Each, however, advertises a tailored program of artistic focus.

Fine arts students can study

aesthetic art (fine art), commercial art, Myanmar traditional art, basic carving and sculpting, carving and sculpting animal and human forms, and Myanmar traditional kanote (the carving of floral designs, such as the decorative motifs seen on carved furniture or wooden columns).

Students at the School of Dance, Drama and Music can study dancing, singing, harp playing, xylophone playing, saing (Myanmar drum circle) playing, Myanmar oboe playing, piano playing, violin playing and dramatic acting.

Both schools offer three-year certificates. While the study body once ranged from 12 to 16 years of age, policies changed in 2000 and the schools now enrol students between 14 and 17 years of age.

In the early days, Daw Mu Mu Khin said, passion drove enrollment: Those who attended arts schools did so even though they knew it would not lead to a lucrative future. There were, she said, no opportunities for artists then.

A higher institution offering bach-elor and post-graduate degrees the University of Arts and Culture Yangon did open in 1993, however, allowing further formal learning opportunities for state school graduates and others.

Originally located at the same grounds as the state schools, the uni-versity later moved to a separate 52-acre location in South Dagon. Today it offers degrees in cinematography and drama, music, dramatic arts, paint-ing, and sculpture, with post-grad offerings in applied archaeology and museology, plus an undergraduate

degree in computer arts. Foreign students can also attend to learn about Myanmar arts.

In 2001 a second University of Arts and Culture opened in Mandalay, offering BA degrees in music, dramatic arts, painting and sculpture.

Daw Mu Mu Khin said the state schools used to only attract students whose parents were artists, as families with non-artistic back-grounds never encouraged children to take up the arts, shepherding them into more stable careers in business or medicine.

She herself, however, did not come from a family of artists. In fact, her grandmother used to beat her when she came back home from dancing. But she kept dancing every day and fi-nally was given permission to join the state school with an evening course in dancing.

That was in 1986, back when students at the state school had a starker choice: regular education or arts education. Daw Mu Mu Khin de-cided to try juggling both by studying dance in the evenings.

I earned my academic education [during the day] and did not give up my interest in dancing as well. I felt grateful to my mother for giving me that choice, she said.

The student body has now diversi-fied to include children from families in diverse fields. Students no longer have to choose between arts and standard educational credits: As par-ents were wanting their children to be able to study art without falling be-hind in academics, the schools sought permission from the Department of Fine Art to add academic studies to the curriculum, which happened in 2007-2008.

Students now split their days into two shifts. From 7am to noon is for academic study, like in mainstream schools, and from 1pm to 4:30pm is for arts study.

Daw Mu Mu Khin, who is also a retired official from the Department of Fine Art, said including standard academic learning supports art stud-ies in many different ways.

When children are gifted in art, at the same time they also need academic knowledge to promote their interest. When they know English and have good communications skills and other general knowledge, it is easier to develop their skills, Daw Mu Mu

Khin said. Former student Ko Myint Mo at-

tended the State School of Music, Drama and Dance before the revised curriculum allowing broader study was implemented. That meant he had to give up academic study to pursue his love of dance. But by then he had already been skipping out off school here and there to watch zet pwe Myanmar performing arts much to the chagrin of his family.

My father used to beat me when he heard I skipped school and watched zet pwe, but I was stubborn and kept on, Ko Myint Mo said.

While his father pushed him to get a standard education, Ko Myint Mo was keenly interested in dance. After he failed seventh standard, his par-ents allowed him to join the state arts school, which he attended from 1997 to 2000, then entered professional life always a difficult transition for any artist.

In March and April of 2015, Ko Myint Mo was invited to join the Asian Cultural Council, which supports transformative culture ex-change by awarding grants to artists.

He said he was so proud to share Myanmar art and dance with the world, and was glad to have had the training that allowed him to do so.

But he also expressed regret at not having had a chance at a regular education as well.

I did not regret my education because I am happy dancing, and it is my life, but I wanted to be educated, Ko Myint Mo said.

He said he appreciates the educa-tion system in a place like the US, where people have more choices in their education, as well as more job opportunities and appreciation from society after graduation.

I feel being education means be-ing able to appreciate and promote different interests and gifted quali-ties, Ko Myint Mo said, adding that he wished Myanmar would reform its education system to offer better options for students artists and non-artists alike.

With royal patronage long gone, state support for young artists, dancers and musicians today falls to a handful of arts schoolsLiving heritage

MYAT NOE OOmyatnoe.mcm@gmail.com

NOTHING offsets the sting of a new school year like the promise of new pencils and paper not to mention pens, highlighters, soft pens, erasers, liquid correction fluid, notebooks, and, if youre lucky, maybe a few stickers to decorate your pages too. Perhaps more than those of any other country, Myanmar children have a love of stationery supplies and with public schools set to open for another year in June, stationery shops are currently packed with parents and students gearing up for the semester ahead.

Among the most popular places to buy are Theingyi Market, Mingalar Market and Yuzana Plaza, which over will be teeming with shoppers in com-ing weeks, says stationer Ma War.

Shops see a boom in late May and early June, she said. At other times they sell school bags and other materials but pencils and paper are their bread and butter come back-to-school time.

In Myanmar schools we do not use laptop computers. They only use books and pencils, said Daw Thit Thit of Yankin, who recently went shopping for her school-age child.

I buy books and pencils by the dozen for my son because they need to use them the whole year. They use books and pencils in school as well as in tuition classes. I buy in Mingalar Market because it fits my budget, and if we buy a dozen its cheaper, she said.

Ma Hnin runs a stationery shop in Hledan. She said when parents are handling the pocketbook for younger students, the shopping list runs to the ordinary: Theres a focus on quality,

and no splurging on the kinds of fancy stationery on offer at City Mart and other more upscale shops.

I sell few fancy stationery products, just the most popular brand that most people buy in books and pencils, said Ma Hnin. The fancy materials are expensive and some people think they are only for looks and not good for

actual use.Dont tell the older kids, though.

When students in 9th and 10th stan-dards go shopping, it tends to be with a group of friends, and without adult supervision they gravitate toward the cute and fancy materials, Ma Hnin said.

Ma Nu Nu, stationery shop owner at Theingyi market, said pop culture drives decision making for the older crowd.

We are not afraid of the more modern materials because we have our regular customers. But the times are changing and we have to change to match the current demand. For ex-ample, Korean movies are famous and we sell book covers with Korean actors and actresses on them. But we dont sell other fancy materials, because most people cannot buy them.

If we buy a dozen its cheaperTaking stock of the back-to-school stationery boom

Visitors look at artwork from the State School of Fine Arts, Yangon. Photos: Staff

Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

9WHEN students finish high school in Myanmar and want to continue their studies, their future is already somewhat planned out. The subject they will pursue at university depends on their final grades from school. If they come from privilege, there may be opportunities to study at private schools, or even go abroad, but for most students especially those from marginalised communities these are not options.

In the past five years, however, civil society groups and local NGOs have been setting up educational programs and institutions that aim to give alternative academic oppor-tunities to previously disadvantaged youth in Myanmar. While these non-profit post-secondary programs exist independently across the country, they often have a lot in common. Students are in their late teens and 20s, and most come from civil-society backgrounds. They study on intensive year-long programs that have a strong focus on English and social studies.

English can get people out of the world they live in. It can open their minds, so they can see the real world, says Thomas, head teacher at the Pin-nya Tagar Academy in Myitkyina.

The academy runs two-year English and social studies programs for youth from around Kachin State. It has a strict English-only policy for the first year Thomas notes that English is not only useful for access-ing a wider breadth of knowledge, but also gives speakers access to better job opportunities, particularly in the development sector.

In Yangon, Kantkaw Education Centre is one of the first non-profit post-secondary institutes, having run courses since 2009. The centre, part of

Thabyay Education Foundation, takes around 60 students a year. These stu-dents come from all over the country and arrive for a year-long course of English, social studies and critical thinking. The program started as a means to help students access inter-national scholarships, by giving them the English and general education needed to apply. While scholarships are still a goal last year six students won places at international universi-ties the program now focuses on the larger objective of giving a new gen-eration of Myanmar civil society the professional skills necessary to gain meaningful employment, particularly in the NGO and INGO sectors.

There is a need in the develop-ment sector for students educated in subjects like English and social science who also have critical think-ing skills. We see ourselves as like a development-based liberal arts program for Myanmar, explains Zin Mar Oo, director of programs.

The Level Up program, in Loikaw, Kayah State, is another example of community-based post-secondary education. Each year a group of 30 students is chosen from around Kayah State to attend the two-year multi-disciplinary courses.

The principal, Elis, explains the need for such courses: After students finish high school, they need more skills and confidence to get a job or to go for further studies. Even if they only go back to work for their com-munities, they still need more skills.

Level Up alumni have gone on to work as teachers, public health offi-cials and NGO workers, and Elis notes how their course helps with social mobility for those in development fields. Now they can get higher posi-

tions and be a part of their organisa-tions planning and decision-making.

Nationally, the number of students taking these courses is relatively small compared to the private sector, and places are competitive. However, the impact can be wide as there is a focus on giving back to communi-ties. Students are encouraged to see their educational development both as a means of achieving personal goals and as a tool for community development.

Our students are from margin-alised communities, for example IDP

areas or low-income families, and have community work experience, such as those involved with develop-ment or volunteer work, says Zin Mar Oo. After they attend here, they are

motivated to better serve the com-munity back home.

Thomas from Pinnya Tagar also notes how the content of their program has an outward focus on learning. When alumni become professionals, they can benefit their communities. For example, in social science we teach about gender issues but we also teach about how to apply knowledge of gen-der to real-life situations.

As these programs are indepen-dent, they offer a greater degree of flexibility in course design than the private or public sectors. Most of the programs have incorporated expe-riential learning into their courses, a way of engaging students through activitity rather than simply reading or discussion. The concept of expe-riential learning has a long history: One of the earliest advocates was Confucius, who famously said, I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.

Despite many being convinced of its benefits, theres a certain irony that experiential learning is popular among educational theorists but so far has yet to be widely adopted in practice. Nowhere is this more true than in Myanmar, where rote learning is still widely used as a method of instruction.

A lot of the educational programs in the non-profit sector, however, believe there is a benefit to practical learning and have incorporated it into their courses. Pinnya Tagar and Level Up both have community develop-ment modules, where students study subjects such as project management

and then develop and implement their own community projects.

Kantkaw also has a similar pro-gram. For one semester, students do a service learning project. After being trained in class, they go to work with community partner organisations across the country, usually on educa-tion and awareness-raising projects.

Shwe Yee Oo studied at Kantkaw in 2012, and after graduation went on to work for local and international NGOS. She recalls the benefits of experiential learning: I worked in Mon State with Pa-O, Karen and Mon ethnic groups there. I was teaching them but I was also learning from them too. Practical learning is good, because if we dont know how to ap-ply what we learn to real life then its not as effective.

As the Myanmar government starts the long process of national educa-tional reform, what is the future of these programs? Some may wish to partner with public institutions; others may become private schools; still others may wish to remain inde-pendent. Whatever they choose, its clear that such programs currently are not merely filling the gaps, but creating new ways of educating, with innovative curriculums and learning methods which have set standards high and could be a model for further education programs nationally.

With their focus on development and community involvement, non-profit civil-society educators arent just filling gaps, writes Ewan Cameron theyre rethinking how education should work

Pioneering classrooms

Practical learning is good, because if we dont know how to apply what we learn to real life then its not as effective.

Shwe Yee OoKantkaw graduate and NGO worker

Ewan Cameron is an Educational Policy Fellow at Thabyay Educational Foundation. He can be reached at ewancameron@thabyay.org

Graduates and guests attend a graduation ceremony at Kantkaw Education Center. Photo: Supplied/Thabyay Educational Foundation

10

BILL OTOOLEbotoole12@gmail.com

WALKING around Falam, the former capital of Chin State, a person can expect to hear no less than eight different Chin dialects widely spoken around town. However, there is one place where these languages are entirely absent: the schools.

Prior to 1948, all basic education classes in the state were conducted in Chin language. But after independence, Prime Minister U Nus government pushed Burmese as the national language, relegating minority languages to a single class taught in basic education schools.

Since the early 1990s, teaching of Chin or any other ethnic minority language in state schools has been banned outright by the central government.

Today, with the Ministry of Education embarking on an ambitious but controversial plan to reform the nations education system, Chin teachers and activists are cautiously optimistic that they may, after more than 60 years, be able to bring their native tongue back into the classroom.

A law regarding the teaching of minority languages has been put forward as an amendment to the education law passed by parliament earlier this year, but the upper and lower houses have yet to debate the measure.

A copy of the amendment obtained by The Myanmar Times provides little information as to when or how minority languages will be integrated, saying only that they will be allowed in minority areas after students have mastered

the ministry-approved Myanmar language. It further states that decisions regarding which languages to teach will be decided by state or region ministers.

The Ministry of Educations offices in Nay Pyi Taw and in state capital Hakha did not respond to requests for comment last week.

Salai Van Gyi, a retired member of the Falam education department, said that academics and other old-timers like himself are ready to start teaching and designing classes, but the parliaments dithering is holding back progress.

[The law] is up to them. Maybe something will happen after the election, he said.

Beyond legal concerns, the sheer number of dialects and variations on the language found in Chin State poses unique challenges for designing a workable curriculum across the state.

In Chin State, there is disagreement over how many dialects we even have, said Salai Bawipi, an executive director with non-profit NGO the Chin Human Rights Organization. He said that among academics from different towns, debate continues over even minor points in the written script.

Like Salai Van Gyi, he was quick to praise the church groups and other volunteers who have continued teaching Chin languages in Sunday schools and other extracurricular venues since the 1990s ban, but said that these groups simply dont have the resources preserve every dialect.

In particular, Salai Bawipi said that the less populous tribes in the state, such as the Khumi and Naga sub-groups, often lived in communities that were beyond the reach of the church groups and volunteers who have continued to teach Chin languages outside the classroom.

Speaking to The Myanmar Times, he said that resolving these issues would require more support from the state and Union education ministries, beyond just changing the law. There should be research programs focused on how many languages we have and which ones are appropriate to teach, which are most relevant, he said. We really need the government to allocate the budget.

If the government doesnt allow [official] teaching and support multilingualism, he added, I dont think these dialects will last much longer.

Charting the rise of English tutors

ALASDAIR MACMILLANalibmac@gmail.com

THE recent history of English tutoring in Yangon started in the 1950s, when Monica Mya Maung, affectionately known as Aunty Monica to those who knew her well, started tutoring Myanmar people to speak English well. She was an English woman who married a Myanmar local and devoted her life to this country.

No doubt there were a few Myan-mar tutors teaching English as well at this time, but mastery of English was not a priority for most people at that time and salaries for tutors were not very high.

In the 1980s, an Anglo-Indian lady, who asked her students to address her as Rosair, also began tutoring in Yangon, and a few of her students now tutor in the former capital.

Monica Mya Maung and Rosair are sadly no longer with us, but they were the very beginnings of an ever growing English Language teaching fraternity in Yangon.

SchoolsThe International School in Yangon (ISY), with mainly American teach-ers, catered to a well-heeled clientele and is still probably the most sought-after school for wealthy Myanmar and foreign parents. There was also the Diplomatic School, where two American teachers were extremely helpful in encouraging their students to study abroad.

It was not until 1996 when the British Council opened as a full DTO (Direct Teaching Operation) before that it had been used as a self-access centre that young Myan-mar students straight out of their 10th Standard exams at public high schools started to take an interest in learning English. Three teachers and one teacher trainer arrived from Britain in April 1996 with a teacher centre manager in September. Since this humble beginning, the Brit-ish Council has grown enormously, offering adult, teenage and younger-learner classes, teacher training to both native and non-native teachers, and exam preparation, among other things.

The American Center also pro-vided skills courses at that time, especially in writing and public speaking, and is still running.

The year before, in 1995, the Myanmar government had decided to allow private education schools to run alongside the national curricu-lum Basic Education public ones, teaching foreign curriculum. The first organisation to take advantage of this ruling was ILBC, which today has primary and secondary schools throughout Myanmar, staffed by both Myanmar and foreign teachers.

At the same time or shortly afterwards ILBC was joined by Crane School and then progressively by MIS, MISY, ISM, YIS, Pride Interna-tional, Brainworks, Total, NIEC, ALBA, YES, and more recently The British School, Pun Hlaings Harrow School

and Shichida Myanmar, the latter of which caters to very early learners.

In addition, it was possible for private adult language schools to open from about 2009. The first of these was Nexus, followed in 2011 by Edulink Australia. Both of these organisations have now branched out into young learners or providing Myanmar businesses with much-needed corporate English skills for their employees, as well as catering to the swelling numbers of students who want to travel abroad to study and therefore need a good IELTS band score to do so. In fact, it would be fair to say that the number of IELTS courses run by various schools and organisations is, alongside ever-increasing young learner classes, the focal growth potential in Myanmar. Nevertheless, demand for Business English courses is also very much on the rise.

TutorsIf students cannot attend regular classes, or desire more time with a teacher, then this becomes the job of an English tutor. In Yangon now there at least 800 Myanmar tutors teaching English, as well as just a sprinkling of foreigners brave enough to face the uncertainties of freelance work in an essentially unreliable environment.

What is meant here is that Myan-mar is still not at the income levels of China, Vietnam or even Thailand, where parents will pay ever increas-ing fees to get the very best teachers for their children. Therefore, the foreign tutor in Yangon may want to charge the going rate, but quite often may have to lower the fee in order to get the customers to show any inter-est. Moreover, there is the issue of high rent for apartments and houses, not to mention the constant struggle to get anywhere in the often-grid-locked Yangon traffic.

Why a class? Why a tutor?In a class, students have a lot of fun learning together, and provided they have a well-trained teacher they will eventually do well enough to achieve their dreams of getting a new job or going abroad to study.

A tutor, in contrast, offers more individual learning time with a quali-fied teacher, who will have more op-portunity to concentrate on correct pronunciation and intonation, rather than just grammar and vocabulary learning, which so often happens in bigger classes (although not neces-sarily at all the centres mentioned above).

While a plethora of English train-ing opportunities await the aspiring English student in Yangon, the advice of this teacher is to talk to your pro-spective centre or tutor about exactly what you hope to get out of your class, to ensure the experience will be worth the money you put down.

For Chin dialects, a long road back to the classroom

There should be research programs focused on how many languages we have and which ones are appropriate to teach ... We really need the government to allocate the budget.

Salai Van GyiRetired education official,

Falam, Chin State

From two to 2000 ... and counting

Children study after dark in a village in northern Chin State. Photo: Phyo Thiri Aye

Alasdair MacMillan teaches in Yan-gon. All opinions are his own, and he apologises in advance for errors or omissions.

11

PHYO WAI KYAWpwkyaw@gmail.com

WHEN private schools were first allowed in Myanmar in August 2012, for the first time in half a century, Myanmars public education system appeared to be letting down its students: not just in quality but in quantity. The system offered five years of primary school, four years of secondary school and two years of high school. Singapore ranked at 26th on the UNs Human Development Index that year, compared to Myanmars 149th offers a 6-4-3 system, with education mandatory to the high-school level. And while systems in Australia and the US differ by district, on average students in those countries receive two more years of schooling than children do in Myanmar.

The decision to allow private schools back into Myanmar, for the first time since private schools were nationalised in 1965, was therefore an important shake-up to address inadequate educational opportunities stifling the countrys children its future leaders. While international schools, teaching foreign curriculum, had been operating for some time, only the ultra-rich could afford them and for those unlikely to pursue further education or jobs abroad afterward they made a poor bet. Private schools, on the other hand, offered an alternative, teaching the required core Myanmar curriculum but also offering extra focus on English, as well as more diversity in teaching enriched subjects such as music or sport, plus smaller class sizes (and hence lower student-teacher ratios) than their public counterparts.

All this happens, on average, at a fraction of the cost of international school fees: A year of private enrollment costs around K500,000 for primary school, K800,000 for secondary school and K1,000,000 for high school. Its still too much for most, but reasonably accessible for the urban middle class.

In the first year of allowing private schools, 66 schools opened nationwide. The next year, 46 schools opened, with a further 69 schools the next. In addition to the 160

now operating nationally, for the coming year Yangon Region alone has received 100 applications to open new private schools a sign of the swelling demand for these institutions.

KMC private school in Mandalay was among the first batch of private schools to open, having been granted a five-year permit, the longest offered (two-year permits and one-year trial permits may also be awarded to institutions, with reviews happen at the end of the term to assess renewals).

KMC founder U Khin Maung Cho told The Myanmar Times last week that private schools should be more than just private equivalents of public schools. Rather than just preparing students to pass exams with distinction, he said, private schools should also guide students

toward becoming good people who can better serve their communities.

To this end, KMC offers not only core curricular subjects but also classes for sports, music, personal relationships and so forth, he said.

There are some children who are outstanding players at sports and music despite not earning applause in curricular subjects. But first place is not just for class or for curricular subjects; you can be a winner in other areas, U Khin Maung Cho said.

A school is a place where children are developed and raised beyond their natural talents, even when they have difficulties learning.

He said a teaching system which focuses on exam grades alone disrupts the true potential of education, which particularly needs to be nourished in younger years. We try to have our students earn distinctions in the high-school level, but we give priority to multi-role development in earlier grades, he said.

With English as a dominant

global language, private schools are focusing on it increasingly, to enrich students opportunities by creating bilingual graduates.

English is the focus in the teaching. The higher the grade, the more obvious this is. In big private schools, it becomes quite obvious they give more priority to English than before. Some private schools sign memorandums of understanding with international schools. Although local teachers were once the only teachers hired in my school; now native English speakers are being hired also, said U Khin Maung Cho.

In handing out permits, the government is known to assess a number of factors, including facilities such as the playground, the library, student numbers, teaching equipment and laboratories. Private schools are supposed to have at least 300 students, though U Khin Maung Cho said enforcement on this metric is sometimes lax, something he criticises.

If a school does not reach the stated requirements, I wish they would not allow that school to open. I wish they would not give permits easily to increase the number of private schools. Another controversy in private schooling, he said, is that some students enroll for show without attending in reality. These are facts which could destroy private schools. Schools should warn each other, he said.

Some private school founders told The Myanmar Times said they face trouble getting permits in time for the enrollment period.

At the same time, the inverse problem also occurs, in which some new schools hire premises and equipment before securing a permit, then continue to accept enrollments in advance, not giving families sufficient notice if they do not receive a permit to open, leaving students high and dry when it comes to taking exams at the end of the semester.

Ma May Thu Myint, founder of Pan Pyo Khin private primary school in Taunggyi, said schools should not just be taking money no matter how good the potential of private schools may seem to be.

Translation by Kyawt Darly Lin

Since their reintroduction three years ago, private schools have been a hit

How important is it for teachers to understand educational psychology?Apart from infrastructure and other human and financial resources, understanding psychology and behaviour is most important in teaching-learning, especially for young children from pre-primary up. This is why post-graduate training for teachers includes various courses on psychology, such as child, school, educational psychology, etc. Teaching-learning is most crucial in a persons life, as that determines their future life and success.

What needs to be addressed?UNICEFs 2012 study [Situational Analysis of Children Study, with the Ministry of Planning] provides hard data on the insufficiency of, amongst other things, the number of teachers, as well as outdated/outmoded teaching methodologies. Of course the study describes many other very important health and social problems of children such as malnutrition, widespread disparities across regions, childrens rights to health and nutrition, education, quality of education and services, costs of education, and so on.

How can we improve understanding of childrens behaviour?The utmost importance of teacher quality is highlighted by the case of Finland, which has the best basic education in the world. It selects and employs the best-quality teachers, who are very competitive. Most have masters degrees. These teachers generally earn more than recently graduated medical doctors.

The fundamental purpose of education is to promote and develop critical, analytic thinking in both children and adults. Its not pushing information and facts down childrens throats in a top-down fashion. The only way to improve the quality of teaching is to provide

many short-term refresher courses to teachers from all states and regions on a long-term basis.

How do you judge Myanmars education system?In terms of teaching/learning methodology, our entire education system process from pre-primary and primary to tertiary (higher education) is completely outdated/outmoded. Students are passive recipients rather than active participants. (See more on this in my Myanmar Times article on higher education published about two years ago.) As well, the assessment of students is outmoded. This is especially true in the basic education sector.

How do you see the mental health of children here? Any common disorders? There are no specific studies on mental health (MH) of students. The UNICEF study mentioned above concentrated on physical health problems and needs of children. However, a World Health Organization AIMS (assessment instrument for mental health system) study in 2006 mentioned different kinds of mental disorders found in facilities in Myanmar. This study indicated that in out-patient settings there were children who suffered from neurotic disorders (ie, less serious/severe), as well as schizophrenia, which is a severe disorder. In the in-patient setting (most probably referring to general hospitals) schizophrenia and substance abuse including alcohol disorders were reported. In a mental health hospital setting, schizophrenia and mood disorders (depression, etc) were reported. To summarise, children were found to suffer from the usual range of mental disorders. It is important to note that substance abuse, including of alcohol, was reported. As drug abuse is widespread, especially among those who are poor, this is expected to be a major problem in older school-age children.

Students write exams at KMC private school in Mandalay. Photo: Supplied

160The number of private schools

currently licenced nationwide. A further 100 have applied to open

next year in Yangon Region alone

Completely outdatedClinical psychologist Dr Nyi Win Hman speaks to MT editor Myo Lwin by email from Australia

Lining up for private schoolsLining up for private schools

12

FOR almost 10 years, I worked in the civil service as an editor with the News and Periodicals Enterprise under the Ministry of Information. I held an MSc in mathematics from the University of Yangon, but I felt I needed more knowledge and formal education relevant to my field of work.

I therefore left government service and went to work in Bangkok at universities teaching English. One day I hoped I would get admission to a post-graduate program on a scholarship. After three years, I was granted a scholarship from the International University of Japan to study for an MA. I had the option of pursuing an MBA or MA in international relations, or international development. As it was not my intention to work in the business field, I opted out of the MBA. My mathematical background also gave me confidence in choosing international development.

Through the international development program, I studied international political economy, statistics, mathematics, microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, among other topics. International political economy, an interdisciplinary field, draws mostly on political economy, political science and economics, and may also include sociology, history, and cultural studies.

As I was studying at an international university, my fellow students came from different parts of the world and had different educational and career backgrounds.

Besides what I learnt from lectures, books, journals and the internet, informal discussions with friends and faculty members widened the scope of my knowledge.

In Myanmars job market, those who can speak and write well in a foreign language are considered an asset to their organisation. An advanced degree from a foreign country, then, is a big plus when trying to land a good job, especially with a foreign company or an international organisation. However, for those who are too smart, it could be a different story, as they may find they are considered over-qualified for the kinds of jobs on offer.

Studying for another masters degree improved my financial conditions. My monthly stipends, which I enjoyed while studying in Japan, as well as the salaries I earned in the country following the awarding of the degree were much more than

what I used to earn in Myanmar, including the income I earned moonshining as a private tutor.

However, I still felt my mission for further education was not fully fulfilled. After having worked for six or seven years I decided to apply for a scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree. I discussed the matter with my spouse and two children I was already in my late 40s at that time and told them that in my 50th year I would apply for a scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree. But I also said it would be the last year I would make such an attempt. Fortunately or unfortunately, I got a full scholarship to study for a PhD in sociology at the University of Hawaii.

I was awarded the degree after only nine semesters, but that stretched out over seven years. The monthly stipends and other allowances covered mainly my expenses in the States; I also returned home every summer and in addition took a couple of leaves of absence to stay longer with my family and to earn enough money to sustain my family in my absence. We could not spend extravagantly during this period: It was really a hard time for all of us and I must express my thanks to all my family members, who underwent many hardships during those years.

Having completed my goal of pursuing higher education to the doctorate level abroad, I have several suggestions for those would like to do the same. These tips will benefit those looking to study in other countries as well as those remaining here.

Preparing for undergraduate programsFor students at state or private schools whose language of instruction is Myanmar but want to continue tertiary education abroad, here is my advice:

Try to be good at mathematics. Myanmar students face difficulties abroad, especially in their early semesters because of the education system they have been through here. Improve your analytical and logical reasoning skills. For students who are in the lower and higher secondary grades (Grades 6-10), you might want to try answering some of the following:

1. It takes 6 cubes to build a staircase with 3 steps. How many cubes will be needed for 11 steps?

2a. True or false: The opposite sides of a parallelogram are parallel to each other.

2b. True or false: The opposite sides of a trapezoid are parallel to each other.

2c. True or false: A square is also a parallelogram and a rhombus.

3. Ma Ni runs faster than Ma Phyu but slower than Ma Nyo. Who runs the slowest?

4. The length and width of a rectangle are integers. The perimeter is 20m. Which such rectangle has the largest area?

5. A box contains 14 packages. Each package weighs 3lb or 4lb. The total weight of the box is 47lb. How many of each type of package are in the box?

6. In a class of 30 students, 21 can name all the continents of the world, 23 can name all the major oceans of the world, and 4 can do neither. How many can name both? (Solve by drawing a diagram.)

For those whose curricula do not cover the topics mentioned above, you might want to familiarise yourselves with that kind of mathematical problems by reading texts or supplementary books on mathematics being taught abroad or at international schools here. If you spend time working out such problems which are suitable to your age, soon after taking your grades 8 and 9 final exams and before the start of the next academic year, you will not be much behind others while studying abroad for a college degree. Also make sure not to shun long mathematical problems in those texts and supplementary books. For those studying for final matriculation exams, however, it would be best to throw yourself into those rather than looking at extra-curricular studies.

Needless to say, try to be good at English. If you have taken your grades 8 or 9 final exams, try to read books in English meant for children, especially during your summer holidays. You might need someones assistance or guidance. Also try to cultivate a habit of using a monolingual dictionary during those years.

Try to read as many books as you can on the following reading series and other abridged editions and childrens literature: the Ladder series; the Ladybird series; the Blueberry series. I am not quite sure if the Ladder series of American English stories are available now or not, though there were many during our childhood days.

During my childhood, my late father forced us to listen to BBC English radio lessons as well as the VOAs news in special English and its words and their stories. I regret that I was not able to persuade my own children to do the same, for such radios shows offer excellent learning opportunities for free. I wish I had been more dictatorial in dealing with my children when they were younger.

Preparing for post-graduate programsIf you are applying to post-graduate programs together with some kind of financial aid, you will generally be asked to write two kinds of essays.

You will be expected to write a personal statement, detailing why you wish to enroll in the programme and

institution you are applying for, as well as outlining your career plans after completing the programme. Educational institutions abroad generally expect you to return to your country of origin after graduation and play your part in bringing about its development.

You will also need to write a research proposal form. One of the most

important requirements for obtaining the degree you are pursuing is to complete a thesis/dissertation of high quality. You therefore may need to arrive at the institution with a clear proposal for your research. Sometimes schools provide an outline for a research proposal; if so, strictly follow it. You can always change the topic of your thesis or dissertation once you arrive at the institution in fact, its almost expected it will change once the time comes to begin writing it, based on what you have learned in the interim.

The following are my suggestions for those seeking entrance to, and scholarships for, graduate study.

Try to write in academic fashion, especially when composing your research proposal. To do that, read articles, particularly from peer-reviewed journals, which nowadays should be made available from open sources even if you have no links to a research or academic institution, and emulate the style of writing found there. Do not, however, simply copy-and-paste the writing or change a few words here and there in them: Plagiarism is not forgiven under any circumstances, and ruins academic and professional careers.

Institutions or scholarships may have their own biases. They may prefer to award spots to people from certain countries at certain periods of time, or be in favour of those who have studied certain subjects and or worked with certain types of organisations. Be aware of those biases and try to align yourself with them.

Nowadays, people have a fancy for things quantitative. A better knowledge of mathematics will help you to follow lessons on statistics, micro and macro economics. For those who want to study computer science, a good knowledge of discrete maths will go a long way.

To increase your knowledge of current events and international affairs, try to visit regularly the

websites of The New York Times, The Economist and similar internationally regarded, strictly edited publications, not just blogs.

To improve your listening skills, try to watch films and TV series with correct English sub-titles. In some DVDs available in our country, the subtitles may not be accurate. Through friends and contacts, locate shops where such quality versions are available.

To improve your writing skills, attend a class or engage a private tutor.

When applying to schools and scholarships, dont give up easily. You might have to make many applications perhaps up to 40 or 50 or even more.

If you have an option, try to choose a university which has different colleges under it. Then you will have an opportunity to cross-register for courses which are not available in your own department or at the college at which you are studying.

Form a study group. When I was studying in Hawaii, I studied with three others, and it helps to reinforce your knowledge.

Whatever your choices, though, try to spend more hours on self-lea