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UNTIL the very recent past, most young people in Myanmar

shunned political activity because of the dangers that accompanied it. However while many still appear disenchanted by the prospect of a career in politics, the situation appears to be slowly changing for the better, which is no doubt due to the democratic reforms that began taking place in 2011.

At a training centre run by the organisation Action Aid called Global Platform, young people learn about a variety of issues, such as governance, citizenship and creative advocacy.

One of the participants, 22-year-old Toe Toe from Meikhtila in the Mandalay Region, has helped build a library and founded a youth group in his community.

“I am not interested in becoming a politician. I want to change the mindsets of people in order to help them build up our community from the bottom. The most effective way to change the status quo is through the young generation, because we are still learning. The young generation is the future and possibly potential leaders later on,” he said.

After an exercise of teambuilding at Global Platform, the circle of young people – some wearing longyi and other jeans - split up into smaller groups to discuss cultural diversity.

Another participant, 25-year-old Phwe Yu Mon was one of the organisers behind the first Myanmar Youth Forum, which was held in December and included 157 representatives from 14 states and regions.

She said, “Young people have a lot of problems and

the biggest challenge for them is education, because it often doesn’t lead to job opportunities. Our goal with the Myanmar Youth Forum was to build a network across the country to overcome the challenges we face. We need to be strong and know our rights to keep up the developments.”

Participants in the forum identified various challenges and came up with potential solutions, which were subsequently submitted to the government.

“Myanmar youth do not participate actively in political affairs because they are weak in… relying on oneself, leadership and knowledge,” a statement from the

Myanmar Youth Forum said.Capacity building has

become a catch-phrase among politically conscious youth, who recognise that without the necessary skills, their ability to play an effective role in politics is greatly hampered.

For more than 50 years, the amount of money

invested in education has been inadequate and universities dropped political subjects, leaving an enormous knowledge vacuum. A teacher at Bayda Institute, 32-year-old Zay Yah Oo, understands firsthand how dangerous political activism was in the past. He was released from prison in the beginning of 2012 after serving eight years for breaking the State Law and Order Restoration Council Law Number 6/88 by “illegally organising under the Unlawful Association Act”.

He has just finished

teaching a one-month course in politics and public opinion.

“Our aim is to create a democratic atmosphere for the youth of Myanmar. The young generation should have political knowledge in order to understand their country, otherwise they can’t participate in politics as we move towards democracy,”

Zay Yah Oo said. Generation Wave is

a pro-democracy group that was founded in 2007 following the Saffron revolution. Membership is restricted to people aged between 18 and 35 and campaigns included an anti-government film called Rambo that was distributed in unmarked packages in tea shops and bumper stickers that said “Change New Government” (as opposed to the more commonly seen “Compressed Natural Gas” stickers). Although the group previously had its

safe-house in Mae Sot, it moved to Yangon after the military government was dissolved in March 2011. In January last year, many of the 27 members who were imprisoned for “illegal organising” were released as part of a mass presidential pardon. Each had been given a five year sentence.

Ko Khant Htun said he joined Generation Wave a year and a half ago after undergoing training in Mae Sot.

“My political work over the past year has been a big change of lifestyle. I don’t have a lot of friends because they are afraid my work could land them in jail. But I won’t stop because I am concerned for the next generation. I don’t want my future daughter or son to grow up like this,” Ko Khant Htun said.

“I do a lot of work in the community but I don’t want

to become a member of a party, because then I won’t be free – I’ll be influenced. And if I am a member of the parliament, I won’t have the chance to communicate with the public. In my opinion, the parliament is not in touch with the people. They are just sitting on their chairs in parliament,” he said.

Ko Khant Htun was not the only one to express cynicism about a career in politics – many other young people said they feel disconnected from the political process.

Although the National League for Democracy has a specific strategy to promote young people’s participation, it has no estimate on how many of their 600,000 members are below the age of 30.

By contrast, U Htay Oo, vice chairman for the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party, said that USDP has more than four million members between the ages of 18 and 35, “who are all involved in the party.”

This high figure may be attributed to the fact that university students must register as a USDP member when they commence university studies.

“We have a basic strategy

Editors:Jessica Mudditt, Myo Lwin

Writers:Shwe Ye Saw Myint, Yu Yu Maw, Maria Danmark, Aung Shin, Myo

Lwin, Jessica Mudditt, Khin Su Wai, Yamon Phyu Thit

Cover Photo:Htet Aung Kyaw (HAK)

Cover model:Yoon Wadi Lwin Moe

Photographers: Ko Taik, Douglas Long, Philip

McKinney, Jessica Mudditt, Thiri Lu, Htet Aung Kyaw

Cover & Layout Design:Tin Zaw Htway, Ko Pxyo

“I don’t want to become a member of a party, because then I won’t be

free – I’ll be influenced.”

Youth engagement in politicsMembers of Generation Wave take part in a demonstration in Yangon in December against Letpadaung copper mine in northwestern Myanmar, following a crackdown against monks who opposed the Chinese-backed project. PHOTO: Supplied by Generation Wave

By Maria Danmark

Youth 2013 A Myanmar Times Special Report

For enquiries and feedback: myolwin@myanmartimes.com.mm, jess.mudditt@gmail.com

3

where we require young people to accept and believe in the concept of the party. In my opinion, there are no obstacles to young people getting involved in a party. They have every chance,” he added.

Ohn Kyaing, a spokesperson from NLD, told The Myanmar Times: “We have developed a strategy to try to mobilise young NLD members in our party. After holding our first party convention next month, we will hold a youth convention in April to discuss the youth strategy and make further plans.”

“Myanmar is going through a transition period and the youth politicians can therefore have trouble finding their way. Many youth rely on the leadership of older party members and many are confused about whether or not they want to join a political party or work in civil society,” he added.

If this is a trend, Salai Thian Uk Thang is the exception. Together with a

group of friends he formed the National Chin Party in 2010, when he was just 26-years-old.

“The first time I thought about forming a political party was back in 2008, the year of Cyclone Nargis and the current constitution was approved. The government seemed more concerned about approving the constitution rather than helping the victims, which left me with a lot of questions,” he said.

Salai hadn’t studied politics before forming the party, so he and his friends spent many hours in teashops discussing politics and teaching themselves various theories. Their goal is to build a federal union and find solutions to the problems in the Chin state, which is one of the poorest regions in Myanmar.

“Our biggest problems are poverty and migration, but now that we have identified this, we must find a solution: parliament is one way to solve these problems,” he

said.At the headquarters of

the National Chin Party there are 15 people working, 10 of whom are under 30. Salai doesn’t believe young people face any insurmountable challenges to joining a party.

“The biggest disincentive is that a career in politics

isn’t lucrative. This is why many young people choose to work within civil society, which allows a person to make a contribution to society while still making a living out of it,” he said.

Salai ran for parliament in the 2010 elections, but said he was unsuccessful due to

a lack of experience.“I think that young people

know more about politics than older people do, but because of the Myanmar tradition to respect our elders, all our members of parliament are the elders. Young people are on standby until they have

enough experience. But the future of Myanmar is bright now that we have entered a transitional period, so I think there will be more job opportunities within political parties that young people can fill. Then more young people will get involved – or so I hope,” he said.

Youth engagement in politics

Participants at the Global Platform learn how to conduct workshops for raising awareness about various issues, such as children’s rights. PHOTO: Supplied by Generation Wave

4

Should Yangon Zoo move?IN Lonely Planet’s section ‘Yangon for

Children’, it states: “There aren’t a whole lot of attractions in Yangon meant to

appeal directly to the little ones….” And it then lists Happy World and Yangon Zoological Gardens as the only two options. However a proposal to move Yangon Zoo

to Hlawga Wildlife Park, which is 35 kilometres north of Yangon, was made by the Minister for the President’s Office, U Soe Thein, on 3 February. The justification for moving the zoo, which opened in 1901 and spans 69 acres, is that it poses unspecified health risks and the smell of

the animals is a nuisance. The idea being floated is to turn the zoo into a green space for recreation, however the minister said the plan’s approval would depend “on the will of the people.” On 11 February, U Soe Thein was quoted in The Myanmar Times as saying: “… if people don’t want

to move it and they prefer to live with those smells, we won’t do it. We always listen to what the people say.” So naturally, The Myanmar Times reporter Shwe Ye Saw Myint hit the streets to ask people whether they agree with the proposal. Here’s what they said:

“I‘ll feel so sad if they move my elephants to another place. I am from Ayeyarwady region, so it’s already difficult to make the trip to Yangon. If the zoo moves to somewhere far from the downtown area, I don’t think I’ll get a chance to go to the zoo again.”

Aung Myint Myat,13-years-old, a resident of Laputta township in Ayeyarwady region

“I am sad for the next generation – they won’t have a chance to visit the zoo because it will be so far away from the city.”

Aung Aung,17-years-old, a resident of Ahlone township, Yangon

“I would be really sad if the zoo moved – I’ve loved it since I was a child and have so many fond memories. I still visit the zoo regularly with my family for recreation.” “I don’t care if it moves – I don’t consider a new location to be a problem.”

Ma Nu Nu Yin,33-years-old, a resident of North Dagon, Yangon

“It would be fine with me if the zoo moved to Hlawga – actually I’d like it because it would be convenient because it would be closer to my home.”

Ma Nwe Ni Tun,27-years-old, a resident of Insein township, Yangon

“I would be really sad if the zoo moved – I’ve loved it since I was a child and have so many fond memories. I still visit the zoo regularly with my family for recreation.” “I don’t care if it moves – I don’t consider a new location to be a problem.”

Ko Soe Min Tun,32-years-old, a resident of Mingaladon township, Yangon

“I don’t like the idea because it is destroying our heritage. I think the zoo should be kept here for our young generation. I have been to the zoo twice - the first time as a child with my family and now as an adult with my own family. I want to see this zoo here my whole life.”

U Kyaw Myint,52 years old, a resident of Laputta township in Ayeyarwday region

Photos: Thiri Lu

5

DURING the decades Myanmar spent under military rule, the mere

mention of poverty and children’s rights was completely off limits. For an organisation such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), whose purpose is defined as promoting the rights of children by overcoming “the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path,” it’s difficult to comprehend the scale of challenge it faced.

“Now we can speak about [these issues] openly and constructively,” UNICEF’s representative in Myanmar, Bertrand Bainvel told The Myanmar Times.

Mr Bainvel took up his position in Myanmar in November last year and described the speed of change over the past year as “surprising.”

One of the biggest breakthroughs, he said, was the Tatmadaw [army] signing a national plan of action in June 2012 to prevent children being recruited to the armed forces and to discharge everyone under 18 years of age.

A hotline has been set up, as well as a series of public awareness campaigns, and on 15 February, the Tatmadaw officially discharged 24 children.

“In the past, this was also a sensitive issue and difficult to speak about.”

Mr Bainvel said that the impact of war on children

is manifold, both for active participants and unfortunate bystanders.

“Firstly there are the immediate violations… of being killed or maimed. Education is disrupted [by war] and it’s very difficult for children to catch up later on in life. It’s also a very traumatic experience because the child doesn’t feel in control of his or her own life and the adults who are supposed to protect them are unable to do so.”

Mr Bainvel welcomed the signing of a ceasefire last year in Kachin state because along with obvious benefits, the ceasefire allowed UNICEF to immunize children in the area for the first time.

Another “demonstration of commitment,” said Mr Bainvel, is the fact that the government is paying for students’ textbooks; a gap UNICEF filled until a year ago.

These positive changes have allowed UNICEF to “evolve from managing projects to looking at the bigger picture of policy and supporting reforms.”

And with almost every sanction lifted, Mr Bainvel said that “more donors are interested in contributing to UNICEF’s work [in Myanmar], because it’s seen as a way for them to be part of the changes underway.”

Since setting up operations in Myanmar in 1950, UNICEF has worked directly with the government. Unsurprisingly, in the past, “some [donors] were a bit reluctant to engage directly with the government, so partnering with UNICEF was a way to avoid that,” he added.

The international non-

government organisation currently has 170 staff in Myanmar and works in 61 of the country’s most vulnerable townships, providing services related to education and maternal and children’s health.

Mr Bainvel said Myanmar will continue to benefit from strong interest among the international community and increased private investment.

He said, “Other parts of the world aren’t exactly as economically dynamic as this [region]. Change could happen more quickly here.”

However he cautioned, “We have learnt from quite a few countries with very strong growth that if the growth is not redistributed equitably you see increasing disparities and very few people benefiting – sometimes the majority don’t benefit.”

Mr Bainvel believes there could be an adverse offshoot if young people aren’t provided with the opportunity to receive a

quality education and in turn, a livelihood.

“It could produce a new range of issues that will impact on the rest of the society and are very costly deal with – whether it be an increase in drug use, gang activities or early pregnancy,” he said.

Likewise, if parents fail to benefit from the country’s economic expansion, “there may be a perception of quick income opportunities – that it would be better to have children [begging]

on the street than to send them to school. We need to look at that,” he said.

Mr Bainvel emphasised the importance of taxation as a means to share resources equitably, particularly in Myanmar’s poorest regions.

UNICEF is supporting Myanmar’s upcoming census – the first undertaken in 30 years – which is vital to “make

investment [in social services] more intelligent,” he said.

“Demographics drive a lot of decisions, such as the allocation of resources across the country. The more tools we have to count people and see how the population is distributed, the better.”

When asked whether February’s MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) concert, was deemed a success, Mr Bainvel replied in a measured tone: “We have

to be very realistic about who we speak to. Those in the concert possibly were not the most vulnerable to trafficking and I think all of us were aware of that. But it’s a matter of spreading the word from ‘Yes I heard about it,’ to ‘No, it’s unacceptable. This increases the demand for better services and protection. It was a way of changing norms.”

When it comes to gender norms, Mr Bainvel believes that “in other countries, gender disparities are more visible. However this

requires us to be more refined in our analysis to understand what the expected roles for boys and girls are, and how femininity is constructed and from what age, at school and at home.”

Although Mr Bainvel praised Myanmar’s inheritance laws, which give children of both sexes an equal right to inherit family property, he said that their application may not be uniform if the law conflicts with traditional beliefs among ethnic minority groups.

He also said that the disproportionate representation of men in Myanmar’s parliament is a “reflection of some inequality.”

While the potential to improve living standards in Myanmar is promising, Mr Bainvel told The Myanmar Times that “On many issues, [Myanmar] must catch up” with neighbouring countries.

He cited the fact that Myanmar has the highest rate of under-five mortality in the region: UNICEF hopes to see a decrease “as fast as possible.”

“Quick wins” can be made tby improving health services and nutrition, providing better access to safe drinking water and promoting hygiene practices.

Mr Bainvel said that the draft children’s policy currently being discussed in parliament is “very innovative, and something [UNICEF] hasn’t seen implemented in other countries. It will definitely help to accelerate progress.”

There’s no doubt that ensuring the gains made in the coming months and years benefit all Myanmar’s children is a task UNICEF will continue to pursue with zeal.

The dawn of a new era for UNICEF in Myanmar

By Jessica Mudditt

Mr Bertrand Bainvel, UNICEF representative to Myanmar PHOTO: UNICEF

PHOTO: UNICEF

Myanmar has the highest rate of under-five mortality in the region

6

WEARING a short black dress and gothic eye shadow, Myanmar’s

singing starlet Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein leans forward and says, “The future of our country really depends on improving the quality and access to education. So many people choose to study abroad because they believe they won’t get anywhere if they get a university degree here. This is true. What can we do about this?”

The 31-year-old is also a qualified doctor and knows the shortcomings of university standards firsthand. Nevertheless, becoming a doctor was dream she had from an early age: a sense of purpose and direction is something Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein clearly isn’t lacking.

However, as a young girl singing in church choirs, her friends repeatedly told her to change path: her voice was too good to go to waste, they’d say.

“Dreams can change according to age!” she said with a laugh.

She hopes that young people will “grab every opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

Hard work, she said, is an essential component of success.

For the past decade, Phyu Phyu has been heavily involved in the music industry: producing single after hit single and in December performed with Jason Mraz at the MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) concert at Peoples’ Square, which attracted 70,000 people.

Phyu’s Phyu’s most recent album, A girl is broken hearted (Main Khalay Tayout Ah Thal Kyal Nay Tal) has remained in the top 10 more than three months since its release.

Although she is a diva on stage, wearing her trademark quirky costumes designed by her sister, the performer also has a serious side – and the two traits blend surprisingly well.

Phyu Phyu has been a UNICEF celebrity ambassador since 2008, however as she explained, “At that time, Myanmar was a closed

country and it was really hard to educate the public about human trafficking. We tried to organise an MTV Exit concert for years, and finally it’s happened. I was proud to be part of it.”

Phyu Phyu is also an ambassador for a UK charity that fights human trafficking and secretary of the newly created Myanmar Music Association, which

was created following the abolishment of the censorship board last year. She has also featured in a documentary about trafficking and performed in an MTV EXIT concert in Bangkok.

With all this going on, it’s no surprise that Phyu Phyu admits doesn’t have time to cook – any free time she does

get in between her hectic schedule is spent hanging out with friends.

“Vacations? My vacation is when I’m performing on stage!” she said.

When asked about an article in the Myanmar language journal Nanatkhin published last week, which had a headline that screamed, “Dangerous kitty or spinster Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein?” her

response was philosophical.“No, I’m not in a

relationship. If you ask me whether I want to be spinster or get married, I will tell you that it depends on the gods.”

As a teenage girl she had a crush on Jon Bon Jovi and hoped to marry a man just like him – another dream that changed as she matured. Her early musical influences, she said, were Celine Dion and Aerosmith.

Life as Myanmar’s darling of pop hasn’t always been peaches and cream: Phyu Phyu was widely criticised when released her video clip for the 2003 single,

“So near or so far,” (Ah nee sone lar, Ah way sone lar), which featured close-ups of her lips shaking eccentrically. The video was banned by the censorship board.

“My performances were pretty experimental at that time. I wore a neck-to-toe red bodysuit and was criticised for that also. But I was happy that I’d developed my own style and eventually, I found

that there was an audience who wanted that kind of surprise element. I never want to step on stage wearing jeans and a t-shirt,” she said.

Phyu Phyu described every live performance as a “risk” because “I push myself to increase the tempo so that the audience sees something fresh in each show. But I enjoy the challenge.”

While performing Fancy Die, Phyu Phyu hit her lips on the microphone so hard that they started bleeding.

“I could see the blood on the microphone but the audience hadn’t noticed. I didn’t care – I just kept on singing,” she said.

“When I hear people screaming my name before I step on stage, it makes me feel as though I could on living forever.”

It’s good that serious reforms are beginning to be made to the education system, including improving the qualifications of teachers. I hope that the future of education in Myanmar will burn bright.”

Myanmar’s darling of pop,Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein

The singing sensation takes time out of her busy schedule to talk to The Myanmar Times about a teenage crush on Jon Bon Jovi, injuring herself on stage and gives some advice on securing success.

“I could see the blood on the microphone...”

By Yu Yu Maw

Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein performing at MTV Exit in Yangon's Peoples' Square last December. PHOTO: Ko Taik

7

KO KYAW THU’S mother died in a car accident after he replaced one

of her tyres with a worn-out one - Ko Kyaw Thu had sold the good tyre to buy money for drugs. He was later arrested and sent to jail for drug possession – while he was inside, his brother became a drug addict and died.

By the time he was released, his family was bankrupt.

Although Ko Kyaw Thu has many regrets, he is trying his best to help others by acting as chairperson to the National Drug User Network of Myanmar.

“I am trying to save the lives of young drug users by sharing my own experiences with them and listening to their problems,” Ko Kyaw Thu Said.

According to government figures, there are approximately 70,000 registered drug users in Myanmar. The vast majority of newly registered addicts use heroin.

However most addicts are reluctant to register with the authorities and go through rehabilitation out of fear of being arrested at the hospital. Many feel caught in a catch-22 because registration is a requirement when seeking treatment. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that up to 300,000 people may be drug addicts.

Thirty-two-year-old “Scum” was once a well-known musician – he has tried to abandon his drug habit several times, but so far without success. He began taking drugs at the age of 14.

“Heroin is like a curse,’’ he said.

He adopted the name “Scum”, he said, because “that is how society treats drug users.”

Scum was arrested for possessing heroin just as he was completing his final year exam in English at Yangon University of Foreign Languages, so he never

went to university. He enjoys reading books and is obviously intelligent – he once dreamed

of becoming a film director, getting married and building on his music career.

“Before I was arrested, I thought ‘This is the best time in my life and I’d decided to stop using heroin. I relied on self-help, drinking methadone that I bought on the black market to help me get off it. I didn’t go to rehab because my family was worried that I would form contacts with other drug users,” he said.

Dr Gyaw Htet Doe, technical advisor at the Substance Abuse Research Association and a retired senior consultant psychiatrist at the Mental Health Hospital told The Myanmar Times, “To stop using a drug without any support is very difficult. Most people need to go through rehab and have the support of their family, so undergoing treatment at hospital is the best course of action. To successfully wean themselves off a drug addition, it’s necessary to spend at least

three or four months in hospital.”

The Department of Social Welfare is responsible for providing drug rehabilitation services – at present just nine exist and treatment is not free.

“So if a patient can’t afford treatment, they don’t come to hospital,” Dr Gyaw Htet Doe said.

No international assistance

is provided to Myanmar and although there are seven NGOs providing support to drug users, services are limited to preventing HIV being transmitted intravenously, he added.

Scum believes that: “Medicines such as methadone can cure the physical addiction, but not the mental one. That’s why people relapse time and

time again.”However he said that

he appreciates the relief methadone brings whilst trying wean off heroin, plus the fact that it is legal.

When Scum was released after serving a four year sentence, he became a registered drug user and regularly underwent methadone treatment at a hospital.

Methadone treatment became available in Myanmar in 2008 and Dr Gyaw Htet Doe said that to date, some 80,000 patients have used it.

Drug laws in Myanmar are severe: for example, possessing marijuana can result in a seven year prison sentence.

Dr Gyaw Htet Doe said, “Imprisoning drug users is not the solution. In fact, it can make the situation worse in terms of HIV/AIDS transmission.”

He also said that police crackdowns on drug users at hospitals lessens the outreach of prevention activities as well as interrupting symptomatic drug treatment and other treatment interventions such as anti-TB, antiretroviral and methadone treatment.

Scum feels that it was prison, rather than heroin, that destroyed his life.

“I blame prison and harsh drug laws more than heroin itself for the death of my friend – he died of AIDS in jail. If he’d undergone treatment at a hospital he might have lived,” he said.

Nevertheless Scum is aware of the damage his drug habit is causing him physically.

“I have liver problems and I am on medication,” he said.

Ko Kyaw Thu believes that the only escape from the nightmare of heroin drug addiction is through proper treatment, rather than criminalisation attempting to serve as a deterrent.

“People need help, not discrimination,” he said.

Escaping the opium nightmare: drug rehabilitation

An on-again-off-again junkie talks openly about his highs and lows and explains why jail terms aren’t the cure.

“Heroin is like a curse”

By Shwe Yee Saw Myint

Scum spent six years in jail for drug possession. PHOTO: Kaung Htet

8

PHOTO Jessica Mudditt

PHOTO Philip McKinney\WFP

PHOTO Douglas Long

PHOTO Kaung Htet

PHOTO Philip McKinney\WFP

PHOTO Douglas Long PHOTO Jessica Muditt

C H I L D R E N O F M Y A N M A R

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AN example of the educational reforms taking place in Myanmar

came last month, when it was announced that Mandalay University is going to forge links with foreign universities and employ foreign professors.

The education sector tops

the list of reforms in a number of sectors initiated following the 2011 by-elections. Having been cut off from the international community for many years, Myanmar’s education has lagged far behind neighboring countries.

Several private and international schools have been popping up in Mandalay over the past year, and it’s certain that more will follow.

“The government’s educational policies have changed significantly. Private schools are now allowed to operate. However, the government universities allow admissions only if the student passes the Myanmar tenth

standard matriculation, meaning that the universities remain attached to the Myanmar community. There will be changes later, when private universities get the green light to operate,” said Ko Kyaw Moe Aung, the deputy principal of Horizon International School.

“Many children lack self-confidence and independence. They rely on their parents for so many aspects of life - even their eating habits. They need to widen their horizons. Only a few students who have graduated are doing well professionally,

while the rest are in bad shape. We have so many changes we’d like to implement – chiefly, the abolishment of rote-learning. Children are expected to memorise five chapters of a textbook in order to pass an exam on any given subject. We want to test the students’ conceptual understanding. Things will improve a lot if we make such changes. I do not like to think that students forget what they memorised as soon as the term has finished,” said Dr Kyaw Saw from Sar-Pan-Eain Private High School in Mandalay.

International education providers are a big market in Myanmar because parents want their children to get a

quality education and many are prepared to invest a lot of money to achieve this.

A parent who wished to remain anonymous said: “My child was enrolled in an International Language and Business Centre. The fee was K90,000 a month just for kindergarten classes, and the fees increase to K150,000 kyats for older age groups. My daughter is now attending a university foundation course, which costs around K40,000 a month. I will definitely send my child abroad for higher study.”

“I calculate the maximum amount I can spend on my children’s education – I want them to attend an international school. I’m not wealthy, but I also want to my kids to attend summer school programs because it’s so important for them to have good command of English,” said Ko Zaw Naing, who is in his thirties.

Among summer programs are computer training programs and English training programs.

Private schools are expected to soon be allowed to offer summer programs – until then, many parents opt for private tuition, which is notoriously expensive. - Translated by Raju Gautam

“We have so many changes we’d like to implement – chiefly, the abolishment of rote-learning.”

Parents vouch for international schools

What made you decide to work in the music industry?Because I realised that music is the only thing I’m good at and it’s the only “work” that never feels like “work.”

What is the one gadget you cannot live without and why?I t’s a pity to say that it would be my phone. Not because I l ike it. In fact, I hate it cos it r ings every 5-10 minutes. But I need it because it contains almost al l my phone number contacts, passport info, my song lyr ics, raw voice f i les of new songs and so on. So basical ly, I don’t need the “phone” but I depend on the phone’s apps.

What’s your favourite holiday destination?Beaches and mountains.

Does your work involve a lot of travel?Yes - but I prefer going on vacation, you know...without working.

What’s your favourite restaurant in Yangon?It’s hard to name only one… The places I go most often, are “PEPPERS”on New University Road and “COCASUKI” (for a family dinner or something like that) “Inya Lake View Bar” “Escape Bar” and “50th Street” (for hanging out).

What was your very first job?The first job that actually paid me was as a drummer. I’m not sure if that’s a “job” or not, but i sure got paid. :)

Describe yourself in three words.“Loading, please wait.”

What was the last book you read? What was it about?“Seinlanguage” by comedian Jerry Seinfield. It’s more like bits and pieces about a little this and that. I’d rather read

these kind of “stand-up comedy” books than the classic type stories. I need new ideas. Not the stories. Stories are boring.

What is your advice for young people who seek a successful career in the music industry?Don’t be an a**hole and you’ll stay.

Three minutes with… Kyar Pauk, vocalist and guitarist for BigBag and Bloodsugar Politik

By Khin Su Wai

PHOTO: Htet Aung Kyaw

PHOTO: Ko Taik

10

PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND TRAINING CENTRES IN YANGONCompany Name Address Township Phone

IECM (Yangon Academy) 35/B, Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, Sein Lei Yeikthar St BHN 549451, 557 219, 540730

Chindwin College 75, 1st floor, Thein Phyu St. BTHG 95130979

Robinson Services 37,Rm.801,8th floor, La Pyayat Wun Plaza Dagon 943196211

Sar Pan Eain Pyin Oo Lwin MDY 085-23291

NIEC = NELC 93( G ), Thin Lwin St. KMYT 5185005, 525962, 525966

Care Forever Service 177/ 179, (7 B) ,7th Floor,34 st( Upper ), KTDA 73113092, 5166240

Myanmar Nobel College 108, Hnin si St ( Upper ) AHLN 220476

MHR 905, 9th floor, Than Zay Condo LMDW 216168, 395802

MCC Theingyi zay ( C ) Block PBDN 95058112, 095062308, 395510

Centre For Advance Education (CAE) No.15,Kyaung St, Myaynigone SCG 524625

The Masters Sule Pagoda Rd PBDN 371359

YIUS Pre-University Level Studies rm4&8,Building 7, MICT Park HLG 652311

Knowledge World 131,101 St MGTN 09 5193935

ORYX Education 1409-A, Yuzana Tower BHN 543403

KUMON Method Of Learning 202~204, Pearl Condo BHN -

Prime Link Int'l Education Centre J-51, Shwe Hnin Si 2nd St, FMI City HTYA 682445 (1073)

Essential Education Centre 81, 1st Floor, Pansodan St. KTDA 388736, 09-5103877

Int'l Computing & Business Academy (ICBA) 303/ 309, 4th floor, Maha Bandoola Rd (Coner of 42nd St) BTHG 245821, 250478

Wise Int'l College 1009, 10th Fl, Yuzana Tower, Shwe Gone Dine. BHN 09-421154862

Do-Re-Mi Family Marina Residence, Rm-105~ 107, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd. MYGN 650634

Victoria college MMB Tower, Level 2~4, Upper Pansodan Street. MTNT

Regent Nanataw St 726826

Myanmar Search Int'l(MSI) 234, 2nd Flr, Shwebontha St(mid), PBDN 389915, 250929

Skyward Study Tour (Access Cherry) 29, 1st Flr, New University Avenue Rd BHN 551142, 400547

Regent Business Academy B-42, Shwe Keinayee Estate, Narnataw St KMYT 500054

Asia Language & Business Academy 66, Shwe Dagon Pagoda Rd DGN 384055, 376236

SANTINI No.170/176 1st Floor Bo Aung Kyaw St. BTHG 383740

Azure Net Co.,Ltd. Myanmar Info -Tech Building 5,Room 6University HLG 652318

Excel Education Centre Room 309,MGW Tower Bo Aung Kyaw St. BTHG 376763, 0943111514

Standford FIM center 246977, 246988

Future Way No.9/Rm 6(A)/YawminGyi st DGN 241099, 095100158

AVSS 117/1st fl,Dimond condo /Pyay rd KMYT 95147227

Spectrum Education BHN 381135

AT & S Info Tech Hlaing 652288

Royal Golden Gate 94,1st Fl,37th St(Lr) KTDA 385610

Myanmar Intellect Pyay Rd MYG 943105272

SSS Education Service No170, Bargayar Rd., SCG 510635

MHR(BIY) No.236©,Dhamazedi Rd., BHN 98628878

Sky Home Language Centre No 39/41,A 1,10th Flr., Sandar Myaing Center, KMYT 535,144

MPDC Education Service Myanmar Info-Tech,Bldg 4, HLG 534746

Imperial Merit Education No.695,Maharbandoola Rd., LMDW 395,816

Khant Kaw Shwe Pyi NO.3A,Pyaytawayeyeikthar Rd.,Kabaraye Pagoda Rd., YKN 973156099

21st Century No.7/A Kan Baw Za St: Golden Valley 2 BHN 09-5186539

Sayar U Zaw Nyein Aung No,175 39 St PBDN 973227916

MBC No.(3-A/B)Mayaynigone Plaza SCHG 525994

Global Enchanting Bayintnaung Tower2-B,7 Floor Room709 KMYT 95027526

Greatest Power Yuzana Garden City

Knowledge Bank Ahnawraha Rd near 30th PBDN 248832

Zinda Internital No,23© Nat mout st BHN 95095124

Commercial Aviations Sule Pagoda KTDA 9448003576

NEWPORT International School No:19/A, Kanbawza St, Golden Velly, Bahan BHN 548453

Victory Preschool 47(B), Pyi Htaung Su St Bahan BHN 542178

Emergent Services Co.,Ltd No.505,Level (5),La Pyayt Wun, Plaza,Alanpya Pagoda Rd DGN Ph-387635,370836 Ext-505

MAMT Myanmar Academy of Management & Technology No.189-195 Level 7,Pansodan , Office Tower,Pansodan St KTDA Ph-391069

Green World Academy No.388/398,4th Flr,Strand Rd AHLN 227032-73114508

Ever Up Human Resources Institute Rm-402,MGW Tower,Bo Aung Kyaw St (Lower) BTHG 73175137,722585, 256523

AKP International Hotel & Tourism Training Centre No.218,4 Flr,31th St PBDN Ph-254541,250489

Rising Phoenix Co.,Ltd No (32),First Flr,Shwe Dagon, Pagoda Rd (Lower Block) PBDN Ph-373154,5173983, 09 500 6329

Gusto Education Centre No.26th,14th St LMDW Ph-224496

Imperial Merit No.695,1th Flr,Mahabandoola Rd (Between 19th St & Sint Oh Dan St) LAH Ph382213, 395816

Shwe Lan Thit Co.,Ltd No.5/G,Parami Rd,12 Ward HLG Ph-663482

U Nay Linn Aung U Tun Linn Chan St,Hledan KMYT Ph-504737,512900

STI Education No.377,Upper Shwe Bon Thar St PBDN Ph-377988

Actual Tokyo Max Rm-707,Yuzana Tower,Shwe Gone Dine BHN Ph-558171

11

A young father who recently returned from working in Singapore for four years is struggling to adjust to Myanmar’s sluggish job market.

While in Singapore, U Wai Zin’s monthly salary as an unskilled worker at shipyards increased from US$380 when he first arrived to $500 by the time he left.

“I haven’t found a job here yet. As a bachelor degree holder, I think I should be

earning about K250,000 ($290) a month. But when I look at the job advertisements in journals, the average salary is about K80,000 ($93) which will not be enough to keep my family going,” he told The Myanmar Times.

“Because I’m unemployed I’ve had to lend money to people in my ward so that I can earn interest off it. I also drive motorcycle taxi. I’m making about K100,000 a month,” he said.

He said his friend is facing the same situation – the two returned from Singapore at the same time.

However after months of

fruitless job hunting, Aung Zaw Linn has now given up and is trying to move to South Korea so that he is able to save money.

According to a research

paper filed at the Institute of Economics in 2013, Myanmar has about 50,000 private companies, which, together with government ministries, constitute a work force of 32 million. The study states that

the unemployment rate is approximately 28 percent of people – which is the equivalent of 10 million people out of work.

Every year, more than 230,000 students graduate

from university, states the report. However as the country

continues to open up and private investment comes flooding in with the passing of the Foreign Direct Investment Law, many predict that these

figures will plummet as new opportunities are created.

However according to the director of a local recruitment agency, Device Service Company Limited, the impact is

yet to be felt.“The number

of unemployed people should have been reduced dramatically. But this is not yet the case because the qualifications of jobless people are

not considered high enough to meet the needs of head hunters,” Dr Htet Zan Linn said.

In 2012, 50,000 applicants, both skilled and unskilled, registered with Device as job seekers.

He told The Myanmar Times that local executive salaries are now in the range of $1500-2000 - an all-time high.

“Many professionals are returning from abroad – particularly those that were living in Singapore and Dubai,” he added.

The principal of a human resource development agency, U Aye Kyaw, believes the government should develop a ministry dealing with human resource development.

As an alternative to private recruitment companies, 78 government-run job registration offices in 14 states and regions, provide for support to people seeking work with private companies and government organisations.

“As a bachelor degree holder, I think I should be earning about

K250,000 ($290) a month.”

MYANMAR’S Buddhist monastic school system dates back to

the 11th century: for hundreds of years it was the only source of education for everyone from princes to labourers. By the early 1900s, Myanmar’s literacy rate was well above other countries in the region; a fact credited to the monastic school system. However due to a lack of funding, the outreach of monastic schools has declined. Nevertheless, the schools – which number 1500 according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, provide a vital service for those unable to pay for education. The number of people attending monastic schools accounts for

16 percent of the total number of primary and high school students in Myanmar and there has been an increase in the number of monastic schools since 2010, when there were 1402, according to ministry figures.

Monastic schools incorporate religious education taught by monks but otherwise teach the same curriculum as government schools and the educational style is moving from teaching to learning because the child-centred approach in Myanmar is gaining popularity. However the government provides no funding to monastic schools, as there has been a strained relationship with the monastic school system due to an element of competition. Monastic schools are therefore totally dependent on support from non-government organisations and teachers are paid as little as K20,000 (US$23) a month, whereas government school salaries

range from K50,000 to K100,000.

Ko Aung Ko Oo, a monastic school teacher with 10 years of experience at Thone Htet Monastery in Bahan township in Yangon said, “We look for our own funding because we don’t receive any support from government. Most of us

are running with the support of NGOs and donors such as UNICEF.”

Monastic schools are required by law to register with the Ministry of Religious Affairs in order to coordinate textbook supplies and examination arrangements.

The national budget

allocates just 4.3 percent to education, which President U Thein Sein said on 21 February has resulted in low educational standards across the board. Fortunately for mainstream education however a report in Weekly Eleven announced the following day that the government will boost education spending to at least K900 billion ($1 billion) in the coming fiscal year.

Principal U Kawwida, a member of Monastic School Management Committee in Dapaeyin township in Sagaing Region told The Myanmar Times, “Monastic schools need more support to improve the quality of learning – teachers need proper training because our teaching methods aren’t up to date – many students are still taught using the rote system because many teachers lack knowledge outside the content of textbooks. This means that children are passing exams, but not necessarily being

educated. For these reasons, I would like to invite NGOs to help us conduct technical trainings.”

The principal of a monastic school in Mandalay who wished to remain anonymous said: “Relations with government officials are strained and it’s often difficult to approach them for help because we are perceived as being in competition with government schools – which is not at all the case. I would say though, that the situation is starting to change for the better.”

He added that student enrollments at his school have been increasing annually and the school has renovated to accommodate the extra students.

“I’m very glad for the support we’re receiving from an international non-government organisation. I feel sad when I see a child on the streets without access to education – I feel responsible.”

Monastic education: in decline or on the rise?

Myanmar’s expanding job market

By Aung Shin

By Myo Lwin

A student at a monastic school in Yangon. PHOTO: Kaung Htet