Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Political reforms must address Burma’s failing schools

Posted: 09 Jul 2013 04:58 AM PDT

After more than two years of politico-economic reforms in Burma, the country's education sector remains in a state of serious ruin. Western countries, including the US and the UK, have pledged to assist with higher education reform in Burma, but if the the entire system is not restructured, the country's schools will continue to stagnate.

No doubt the Western academics will be able to provide insight and recommendations that could help improve Burma's education system. Nevertheless, the ex-generals who continue ruling the country must address the entrenched policies and curriculum established by the academics, faculty members and government officials who have all failed to initiate practical reforms that would benefit the country's students.

At the tertiary and secondary levels, most teachers, lecturers, professors and virtually all professionals in the education sector have followed the dictates drawn up by the country's successive military regimes.

Since Ne Win seized the reins of power after leading a coup in 1962, student activists have served as problematic adversaries to Burma's ruling generals. On 7 July 2013, the country observed the 51st anniversary of the brutal crackdown at Rangoon University, where soldiers brutally gunned down students who were protesting against institution's lackluster education standards and unfair university regulations. The next day, the campus's historic student union building was dynamited as protestors took refuge inside.

In the following decades, educators lent a hand in reconnaissance work and aided in the suppression of student activists. Administrators expelled students and handed over pupils to the police. While there were exceptional teachers in the country, those with top jobs at the country's universities often garnered their positions at the expense of anti-regime students.

"The generals were incredibly effective in wiping out higher education in an incredible fashion," said Charles M Wiener from John Hopkins School of Medicine during an interview with the New York Times earlier this year.

"The entire educational system, from elementary to the university level, requires a revolutionary overhaul"

But even under Thein Sein's quasi-civilian rule, a new generation of students is still being oppressed. Students unions are still outlawed in Burma and student activists are under constant surveillance and subject to arbitrary arrest and questioning. More than a dozen student activists are still not allowed to resume their studies after being released from prison last year. Unfair and discriminatory regulations effectively prevent university students who miss more than two years consecutively from re-enrolling in full-time programmes.

In  21st century Burma, children are still subject to corporal punishment in schools, such as caning and other harsh means of punishment, while being taught to copy and repeat their teacher's instructions rather than engaging in critical thinking exercises. The sector is also rife with corruption due to insufficient funding from the government. In March, the parliament allocated around 20 percent of Burma's national budget to the military, while the country's schools received 4.4 percent.

As long as those in power continue to see students as enemies and only promote their hardline supporters, Burma's schools will fail to provide students with the necessary skills to compete in the global economy at the country's expense. The entire education system, from elementary to the university level, requires a revolutionary overhaul of its infrastructure and curriculum to succeed.

It is now time to demand that the ex-generals and their loyal academics institute real reforms and begin providing the country's future leaders and workforce with the education that will allow the country to overcome decades of underachievement.

Zaw Nay Aung is the director of Burma Independence Advocates

-The opinions and views expressed in this piece are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect DVB's editorial policy.

Burma frees child soldiers conscripted by military: UN

Posted: 09 Jul 2013 03:30 AM PDT

Burma has discharged 42 children and young people from its armed forces, UN agencies said Monday, urging increased efforts to free child soldiers as the country emerges from military rule.

The formerly junta-run nation, long vilified for human rights abuses committed by the military, has yet to stop recruiting children into Burma's armed forces, according to a statement from the United Nations.

“We expect the Tatmadaw will now be in a position to speed up the release of all children,” said Ashok Nigam, the UN’s resident coordinator in Burma.

“We are very happy for the 42 children and their families today but we must accelerate efforts so that many more children benefit from release.”

The statement said 34 of those freed were under 18 while the remaining eight were young people who had been recruited as children, adding they performed soldiering and other duties.

Burma also released 42 children in September 2012 and a further 24 in February under an agreement with the UN.

Ending rights violations, such as the forced recruitment of children and other civilians to perform tasks for the military, is a key demand of the international community, which has embraced reforms in Burma since the end of outright junta rule in 2011.

“All parties recognise this is about the future of Myanmar. No child should have to endure the hardship of being taken away from their families, friends, schools and communities,” said Nigam.

“Nothing justifies the recruitment of children in armed forces. An army is not a place for a child to grow up,” he added.

There are no verifiable figures on how many children are currently serving in Burma’s massive military, but the UN children’s fund UNICEF said the army had released more than 520 children in total since 2006.

Karen armed group opens commercial, tourism ventures

Posted: 09 Jul 2013 02:35 AM PDT

The Karen National Union (KNU)'s 7th Brigade announced earlier this week that they have started an export, import business along with a tourism company in a bid to channel additional revenue into the group after decades of civil war.

Managing director of the Moe Ko San Travel & Tours Company Limited and Trading Company Limited Saw Moses said the enterprises aimed to provide the KNU 7th Brigade's members and their families with more funds.

"We are looking to compete in the international business market in the future and see that it would be impossible to do that individually," said Saw Moses, according to a report published by the Karen Information Centre.

"We needed to form a company to get into the market so we tried to make this happen."

According to Saw Moses, the group hopes to begin importing vehicles, mechanised agricultural equipment, construction materials and fuel into Karen state, but made not mention of what products or resources they were hoping to export.

"The company was registered in Naypyidaw and granted approval by the government for an export and import business on 4 May and for tour services on 8 June," said Saw Moses.

After fighting a bitter conflict with the Burmese government for more than 60 years, the KNU inked a historic ceasefire agreement with Thein Sein's government on 12 January 2012.

The KNU's is the first ceasefire group to officially register commercial enterprises with Naypyidaw since the country’s quasi-civilian government kicked off a nascent reform period more than two years ago.

Saw Moses said the group would continue to monitor the ongoing peace process between the KNU and state-backed negotiators and are waiting until the government unveils tangible political reforms before expanding their business operations.

However, civil society groups have warned that entering into commercial enterprises during the fragile ceasefire peace process could undermine armed groups’ political goals.

"I see it as kind of dangerous if it's not going well, it can also create a conflict of interest," said Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN)'s Director Paul Sein Twa.

The director cited the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA)’s commercial deals as a key factor that led to the splintering of the group after they were ordered to join state-backed militias in 2010.

"When the DKBA had been ordered to transform into a BGF (Border Guard Force), you can see that most of the leaders who had good business deals agreed to the proposal," said Paul Sein Twa.

"When we have a lot of interest in business, if you oppose the government's proposal it can be hard to sacrifice your business."

According to a report published by Eleven Media Group on Monday, several Karen armed groups have recently met to discuss investing in future commercial ventures, including mining, construction and tourism, in the war-torn state.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)