Medical and technical universities will give priority to outstanding applicants for studying respective subjects in the coming academic years, said Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the SAC Meeting 3/2022 at the Office of SAC Chairman in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
In highlighting the health and healthcare services, the Senior General analyzed the infection rates of COVID-19 in the first, second, third and fourth waves from 23 March 2020 to 28 March 2022. He noted that vaccination of COVID-19 is administered across the nation accounting for 51 per cent till December 2021 compared with more than 70 per cent at present. But, there remain some people to be vaccinated in Chin and Kayah States and Sagaing Region. Hence, the Senior General urged officials need to strive for vaccination of the local people from the regions and states at full time. Regarding the education sector, the Senior General said the basic education schools were reopened on 1 June 2021 but closed on 8 August due to the impacts of the third wave of the pandemic. The schools were reopened again on 1 November with attendance of more than 4.16 million students, accounting for more than 78 per cent.
… vaccination of COVID-19 is administered across the nation accounting for 51 per cent till December 2021 compared with more than 70 per cent at present. But, there remain some people to be vaccinated in Chin and Kayah States and Sagaing Region. Hence, the Senior General urged officials need to strive for vaccination of the local people from the regions and states at full time.
With respect to education policy, the Senior General said: “Our country is very weak in the education sector. More than five million students of over nine million enrolled in the previous academic year. Of them, some 60 per cent enrolled and attended the school but some four million students did not attend school. Among more than five million students, some 20 per cent of students were absent. So, it is very dangerous for the education sector. According to the interim census in 2019, a total of 18.263 million people among 25.169 million population above 25 have knowledge of middle school education. They are at the middle school level. There are more than two million educated persons and over 500,000 graduates and diploma holders. Some 100,000 people have completed the THS and TVED. These are actual situations in our country. Most of them are residing in the states. Some urban people are graduates, accounting for 78/80 per cent but 20 per cent in rural regions. So, we need to repair and encourage education matters without fail. So we must adopt the vows. Only when the future State has abundant educated persons in the democratization we expect will the democracy be meaningful. The development of the nation needs educated persons. Hence, the education sector is crucial not only for the development of the nation but for democracy. It is necessary to implement the education policy. So, I gave guidance in the previous meetings to implement the KG+9 education system—five years for primary level, four years for middle school level and three years for high school level, totalling 12 years. In holding meetings with relevant ministries, we found a result that anyone must pass middle school education to attend vocational training. They have to pass the middle school education to join THS, vocational or agricultural training.
Research is being conducted for the improvement of the traditional medicine arena with a plan to organize the traditional medicine practitioners’ conference. Arrangements are being made to facilitate security and health personnel with housing. Self-Administered Zones will be added with district-level departmental organizations.
Hence, it can be accepted that all citizens need to have passed middle school education on a basic stage. Our government implements the KG+9 scheme in our time. Among regions and states, priority is given to students from states and those from remote areas of regions. We have to enhance education standards. This year, we will upgrade the education standard by spending a large sum of the budget. On the other hand, we need to create good environs for those discharging duty in the education sector. We have to create the chances for teachers to teach students. The first one is to give a guarantee to them. So I arrange a chance for them to do different reforms in the education sector. I accept we need to give necessary facilities to teachers. So, council members need to discuss it. I will focus on the implementation of a KG+9 scheme for education officials to adopt the policies on how to give chance to the teachers. I’d like to know the opinion of council members on that.”
University education is training for youths to have both learning education and experiences in social relations. In the coming academic year, the students learning at Universities of Medicines, Universities of Dental Medicine and Universities of Nursing who will discharge the duty for the State will be allowed learning education free of charge. Those who will not discharge duty for the State must pay deserved charges for learning. Medical and technical universities will give priority to outstanding applicants for studying respective subjects in the coming academic years.
With regard to operating the regular tasks during the COVID-10 period, some students have taken examinations at the basic education schools but the matriculation examination will finish in the first week of April. Travels of local and foreign visitors will be allowed as of the Myanmar New Year Day, 17 April under the prescribed restrictions. As of coming mid-May, classes of all university education will be reopened as usual.
Honorary titles for performances in political, social, economic, technological and fine arts for the State will be honoured on the Diamond Jubilee Independence Day in January 2023.
Wind power and tidal speed should be considered in the energy policy. If the country can apply renewable energy, it will overcome the problems and reduce the import volume of fuel. If electric trains and cars can be used, the use of fuel can be saved. Fuel is imported in the transport sector, accounting for 72 per cent, industrial sector 26 per cent and generating electricity one per cent. If electricity can be used for public transportation, it will much benefit the State.
In the coming academic year, the students learning at Universities of Medicines, Universities of Dental Medicine and Universities of Nursing who will discharge the duty for the State will be allowed learning education free of charge.
Depending on the current situation, festivities will be allowed in the Maha Thingyan period to some extent but it is necessary to consider the outbreak of COVID-19 and the political situation.
The council members discussed scrutiny to grant pardons for deserved persons, drawing good security plans for peace and stability of the State, holding a conference with the participation of experts, scholars and student representatives to adopt the education policies.
Vice-Chairman of SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win discussed systematic allowing the foreign applicants for permanent residents.
In his concluding speech, the Senior General said that punishment will not be reduced for those sentenced persons for their terror acts. Some ethnic armed organizations are involved in the terror acts but the government focuses on future prospects based on perpetual peace. Priority will be given to the use of renewable energy for generating electricity and coal will be used for generating heat energy only.
Only when terrorist organizations can be combatted can a free and fair election be held without coercion and threats. Hence, it is necessary to wipe off the terrorists. Research is being conducted for the improvement of the traditional medicine arena with a plan to organize the traditional medicine practitioners’ conference. Arrangements are being made to facilitate security and health personnel with housing. Self-Administered Zones will be added with district-level departmental organizations. — MNA
