Non-profit education in Moulmein
Local students in Moulmein have enjoyed attending a non-profit education program in the capital city of Mon State while being banned from attending regular lectures at Moulmein University for many years
Local students in Moulmein have enjoyed attending a non-profit
education program in the capital city of Mon State while being banned from attending
regular lectures at Moulmein University for many years. A few Mon scholars who
work at the Ministry of Education in the country devote their time to serve
the local community with self-help programs at the community hall. Children
of some Burmese military officials have also enrolled in the informal classes.
A trend of education in the country has emerged in which the new generation is keen to learn English and hope to find classes in town both at the private and non-profit institutions. Many young students struggle for a better education and employment, while the Burmese officials engage in a competitive power struggle for Public Office.
Nai Soe Than, a former high school teacher from Mon State who now serves as the 2nd Chief of Mon National Education Committee has campaigned for years for a non-profit educational system in the community, especially in the urban area of Mon State, after traveling inside the country. He has had access to other areas of the country after the ceasefire agreement between New Mon State Party and State Peace and Development Council, the current ruling military junta.
“They (Burmese army officials) know what we are doing because it does not involve politics. So they say nothing, instead they allow their children to come to learn the English Language class,” Mr Than said in a recent meeting on the Thai-Burma border area.
A leading Mon academic “Ajar JaNu” works with his colleagues in running a non-profit English Language Class in the Mon Community Hall at the hill in Moulmein for the last two years. Ajar Janu is the former Director of Department of Basic Education No (2), Government of Union of Burma; he retired in recent years, and now informally teaches evening classes in town with the help of the local community. The students pay a small fee for textbooks, but most students receive sufficient materials from community donations.
His colleague Mr Than Nyunt, a former headmaster of a High School, also opened similar classes at Thanbyu Zayat city. Over 600 students completed a sufficient level of English language classes in that city under an English Language Teaching (ELT) program run by Mr Nyunt. He also manages ELT programs for both spoken and written English at Pa Nga, Kroke Pi, Hnit Kayin villages.
“I raised the issue to a few aid agencies in the border area and they donated small cash allotments with their good will for volunteers,” Mr Soe Than added. “You know, it is a way to gain merit,” he said.
It is a noble job for these scholars in the community after they were refused employment in government-run schools. They were accused of participating in pro-democracy campaigns during 1988 and now are unable to pursue a career in the department of the Education Ministry.
“It is such a relief for them to earn cash for their family,” Mr Than said in an interview recently. For over ten years, these educators were banned to work at the government schools, many fled as a result to the border area and to Thailand for employment. Many Mon teachers joined the Mon National Education Committee under the management of the New Mon State Party in the border area and in Mon State.
Moulmein is the capital city of Mon State, located in the southern part of Burma, there is no reliable electricity, no power is available for 24 hours while local residents rely on private generators. They cannot use a computer and other learning aids such as listening to tapes during the night. Public electricity is only available until 9.pm in the town but the City Municipality switches on the electricity for the government departments especially the military buildings at any time.
A non-profit English Language Teaching programs continues throughout the day until the sun sets over the highest mountain in Moulmein city. “Aja Janu is now over 70 and he loves teaching despite his physical shortcomings, mentally he is very strong”, Than said.
“I told him to leave teaching and just manage the program, but he refuses,” Mr Than repeated. “He is a man with professional skills, fluent in Mon, Burmese and English, he is keen to contribute his experience and teach the younger generation until he steps into the grave”, Mr. Than proudly said.
The world community knows that Burma is an under developed country caught in a quagmire of a political crisis that has lasted for over fifty years. However, a few local scholars continue to have faith in their community and are committed to reform the educational and public sectors. Such a proposal has been turned downed by the military regime for many decades.
As a former Director of Basic Education Department of Burma, Aja Janu transferred his educational vision and strategies in a paper to the “Seminar of Mon National Affairs” in the 2001 educational reform in Mon State and Burma. However, the political climate, especially in Mon State is still not resolved, and many projects have been put on hold. He can no longer wait for the local politicians, but has decided instead to devote himself to better the education in the community. A challenge for the project is lack of resources both financially and materially, with no assistance forthcoming from the ruling military government.
“What will be our future without proper education in this country,” he recently told KaoWao in Moulmein.
A trend of education in the country has emerged in which the new generation is keen to learn English and hope to find classes in town both at the private and non-profit institutions. Many young students struggle for a better education and employment, while the Burmese officials engage in a competitive power struggle for Public Office.
Nai Soe Than, a former high school teacher from Mon State who now serves as the 2nd Chief of Mon National Education Committee has campaigned for years for a non-profit educational system in the community, especially in the urban area of Mon State, after traveling inside the country. He has had access to other areas of the country after the ceasefire agreement between New Mon State Party and State Peace and Development Council, the current ruling military junta.
“They (Burmese army officials) know what we are doing because it does not involve politics. So they say nothing, instead they allow their children to come to learn the English Language class,” Mr Than said in a recent meeting on the Thai-Burma border area.
A leading Mon academic “Ajar JaNu” works with his colleagues in running a non-profit English Language Class in the Mon Community Hall at the hill in Moulmein for the last two years. Ajar Janu is the former Director of Department of Basic Education No (2), Government of Union of Burma; he retired in recent years, and now informally teaches evening classes in town with the help of the local community. The students pay a small fee for textbooks, but most students receive sufficient materials from community donations.
His colleague Mr Than Nyunt, a former headmaster of a High School, also opened similar classes at Thanbyu Zayat city. Over 600 students completed a sufficient level of English language classes in that city under an English Language Teaching (ELT) program run by Mr Nyunt. He also manages ELT programs for both spoken and written English at Pa Nga, Kroke Pi, Hnit Kayin villages.
“I raised the issue to a few aid agencies in the border area and they donated small cash allotments with their good will for volunteers,” Mr Soe Than added. “You know, it is a way to gain merit,” he said.
It is a noble job for these scholars in the community after they were refused employment in government-run schools. They were accused of participating in pro-democracy campaigns during 1988 and now are unable to pursue a career in the department of the Education Ministry.
“It is such a relief for them to earn cash for their family,” Mr Than said in an interview recently. For over ten years, these educators were banned to work at the government schools, many fled as a result to the border area and to Thailand for employment. Many Mon teachers joined the Mon National Education Committee under the management of the New Mon State Party in the border area and in Mon State.
Moulmein is the capital city of Mon State, located in the southern part of Burma, there is no reliable electricity, no power is available for 24 hours while local residents rely on private generators. They cannot use a computer and other learning aids such as listening to tapes during the night. Public electricity is only available until 9.pm in the town but the City Municipality switches on the electricity for the government departments especially the military buildings at any time.
A non-profit English Language Teaching programs continues throughout the day until the sun sets over the highest mountain in Moulmein city. “Aja Janu is now over 70 and he loves teaching despite his physical shortcomings, mentally he is very strong”, Than said.
“I told him to leave teaching and just manage the program, but he refuses,” Mr Than repeated. “He is a man with professional skills, fluent in Mon, Burmese and English, he is keen to contribute his experience and teach the younger generation until he steps into the grave”, Mr. Than proudly said.
The world community knows that Burma is an under developed country caught in a quagmire of a political crisis that has lasted for over fifty years. However, a few local scholars continue to have faith in their community and are committed to reform the educational and public sectors. Such a proposal has been turned downed by the military regime for many decades.
As a former Director of Basic Education Department of Burma, Aja Janu transferred his educational vision and strategies in a paper to the “Seminar of Mon National Affairs” in the 2001 educational reform in Mon State and Burma. However, the political climate, especially in Mon State is still not resolved, and many projects have been put on hold. He can no longer wait for the local politicians, but has decided instead to devote himself to better the education in the community. A challenge for the project is lack of resources both financially and materially, with no assistance forthcoming from the ruling military government.
“What will be our future without proper education in this country,” he recently told KaoWao in Moulmein.
