Training
In today's Burma, literacy is at the same level as the
average for the countries of Southeast Asia, but compulsory
schooling only lasts five years, which is a very short time
in a global comparison.
Education has traditionally given high status in Buddhist
Burma, and most, especially the men, learned in the past to
study with the monks in the monasteries. From the beginning
of the 19th century, Christian mission schools were
established and during the colonial period the British
introduced a formal schooling, built according to the
English system and with "worldly" subjects such as language,
mathematics and geography. In almost all schools, both the
native language of Burmese and English were taught. This
structure is still there. However, during colonial times
literacy dropped significantly, and in 1954, almost
two-thirds of the adult population could read. See TOPSCHOOLSINTHEUSA for TOEFL, ACT, SAT testing locations and high school codes in Myanmar.
From 1962, the military regime expanded the elementary
school. They emphasized science subjects and vocational
education, and only state schools were allowed. Measures to
increase literacy were highly successful and in 1990 it was
reported to be about 85% of the adult population. During the
last decades of military rule, not enough resources have
been allocated to reach the goal that all children should
attend a good quality school. A large part of the teachers
lack education and the classes are very large. In the most
remote mountainous regions, there are no state schools yet,
where the villagers are encouraged to build schools
themselves and pay teacher salaries. The monks' schools
still play an important role, especially for disabled or
orphaned children and among very poor families, as tuition
is free and schooling can take the form of boarding school.
The five-year compulsory school is compulsory and starts
at the age of five. It should in principle be free of charge
but still entails costs for parents in the form of school
uniforms and school supplies. Virtually all five-year-olds
are enrolled in elementary school, but several quit already
after a few years when they have to work for the family's
living. It can also be a result of the family not being able
to afford all the children in school for a long time. These
children are considered literate, but their reading ability
is hardly sufficient in modern society. Most of the hours in
primary school are devoted to the three core subjects
Burmese, English and mathematics. Since 1981, English has
been a mandatory language from year one. Since 1999, the
topic of union spirit has also been on the
schedule.
Approximately half of the children in one year study
further in the secondary school, the first part of which is
four years old and has a wider subject area. Then follows a
two-year higher secondary school with the three core
subjects and three selected subjects in addition. The best
students are guided towards science subjects so that they
can then continue with college studies in medicine, science
and technology. An approved degree is required to continue
with entrance exams at universities and colleges. The number
of private schools with an international focus is
increasing, but the degree from this does not apply to
admission to higher education in the country. Those who
studied there may apply abroad and move primarily to
Singapore, Australia or the United Kingdom.
The one-year preschool is not compulsory and in 2010 only
about 10% of all four-year-olds were enrolled there. In
affluent states, it can cover one third of children, in
poorer only a few percent. About 30% of children who start
primary school do not have Burmese as their mother tongue
but speak minority languages. For them, language training in
preschool is very important, but in their home districts
there are usually no preschools. With the support of
international aid organizations, there are various forms of
activities for underprivileged children, including open
preschools where toddlers and their parents participate.
In 2012, there were 157 universities and colleges in
Burma. All higher education takes place under the auspices
of the state, and the two oldest and best-known universities
are Yangon University (Rangoon) and Mandalay University.
Both are mainly focused on social sciences, law and the
humanities, Yangon University with mainly doctoral education
and research. Newer universities with similar subject areas
are located in the state capitals.
In higher education, the military regime focused mainly
on science and technology and within the two old
universities they established a number of institutes with
such specializations. These have later become independent
universities and professional colleges and are located in
different parts of the country, but still with the emphasis
in the Rangoon and Mandalay regions. There are also two
distance education universities with a number of regional
centers, as well as training centers with shorter and longer
occupational, fee-based education programs.
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