Nay Pyi Taw, May (17)
The Private Education Law of the military council, which requires permission for the appointment of teachers and school curriculum, is a flagrant violation of freedom of learning, said the education community.
On May 12, military chief General Min Aung Hlaing signed the Private Education Law, which includes 16 chapters and 82 sections.
The law states that the military council’s supervisory bodies have the authority to set standards for private schools, approve for teacher certification, issue certificates for foreign private teacher registration, and approve or deny certificate renewals.
Sayar Naung Cho, a member of Basic Education Workers’ Union (BEWU), said, “The military council’s private education law is a flagrant violation of educational freedom, and the future of children studying under the military council is bleak. I see that they are trying to control the schools and education systems in the ethnic areas. The law also stipulates that officials must submit to the military regime the ethnic languages to be taught in the relevant regions according to federal principles. In the long run, I think there will be a big disagreement about education between the ethnic groups and the military council.
In addition, he also criticizes the fact that the current law restricts educational freedoms and reinstates the military-run slave education system practiced by former dictators to reduce the number of educated young people”.
A university teacher who joined CDM remarked, “The private education law of the military council is an attempt to control the entire education sector, and the fact that the curriculum must be taught with their approval is leading to the destruction of the education system. The military council will control all matters of teaching, curriculum, and appointment of teachers. In particular, I think they’re targeting CDMs. If you teach a curriculum that they don’t approve of, they will impose fines and prison terms rather than closing the school”.
Furthermore, due to the military council’s educational constraints, private schools may find it impossible to include an international curriculum, and general knowledge will no longer be taught.
According to the private education law promulgated by the military council, anyone who violates the rules can be sentenced to a minimum of six months in prison to a maximum of two years and a fine of 3 million to 50 million kyats, or both.
According to the CDM teachers, this law prevents the teachers involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) from working in private schools and attempts to control the entire education sector.
For the 2022–2023 academic year, at least 1.6 million students were enrolled in more than 1,000 private and public schools, according to the junta Ministry of Education.
News – Than Lwin Times
Photo: MOI
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