Independent Mon News Agency

Feature:

Burma’s Education is Corrupt

IMNA, 7 June 2003

Burmese education system under the military rule is weaken than ever in Burmese modern history. Women and Child Rights Project, Southern Burma has released an Independent Report on the condition of current Burmese education development in Mon State and southern Burma.

A 27 page report under a title of “Burma ‘s Education in Corrup and Oppression agaist Ethnic Education in Mon Territory” has been released in March this year. After the Burmese ruling regime, State Peace and Development Council banned a teaching of Mon language in government schools in Mon Territory, the WCRP team has researched the corruption of Ministry of Education, Education Department and School Council in the Territory.

Mon National Education Department, work under a guideline of Mon National Education Committee, a body of New Mon State Party has apponited 912 teachers to manage 37135 student in Mon National Schools. The national schools are funded by the NMSP’s via international aid agencies. The Burmese ruling authority disregards the status of Mon national education and accused teachers as rebel supporters.

According to the report, the WCRP has proposed to the State Peace and Development Council for fulfilling its obligations to Convention on the Rights to the Child (CRC). The report said that the SPDC should ensure to gradually reduce the enormous ‘drop-out’ rate in the primary level of education. Drop-out mostly happenned because of the education system and no equal educatin opportunity to all children. The State should create a system that could stop the great drop-out and make sure all children complete and achieve primary education to know how to write and read.

After ceasefire agreement between New Mon State Party’s armed froce Mon National Liberation Army and Burmese Armed force in 1995, a teaching of Mon language in public schools is granted after school hours. However, local Burmese military commanders banned an informal classes and forced local Mon teachers only to teach in monasteries or community halls.

Human Rights Foundation of Monland has assigned Women and Child Rights Project team to research and release an independent report as it is first ever comprehensive report from Mon Territory.

Local teachers, education committee members and school council team have received bribery and gifts from students for offerring them good mark (credit point) after the examination. A few students passed the exam without sitting the exam in the room, the report said.

The military regime has seriously violated rights of ethnic children to enjoy their own culture and practice their native language. Both rights are the main principles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child which is ratifies by the current Burmese military government, State Peace and Development Council, the report concluded.

Human Rights Foundation of Monland is a local human rights defenders’ group based in Thailand that primarily focuses human rights violation in the Mon Territory. Women and Child Rights Project is a special team that it is assigned to tackle the plights of women and children in rural areas. The organization is an independent body of the Mon community without any influence of political party.