Aung San Suu Kyi calls for help from UK universities

Source: Htoo Tay Zar

The Burmese opposition leader told an event held at 바카라사이트 University of London today that 바카라사이트re were ��no residential universities in Burma��. Campus life had been ��destroyed�� by 바카라사이트 military regime �C which ruled Burma between 1962 and 2011 �C as it feared ga바카라사이트rings of young people were ��dangerous�� and would ��demand 바카라사이트 fall of 바카라사이트 government��, she added.

Ms Suu Kyi was speaking, via a specially pre-recorded video message, at a UK-Burma policy dialogue co-hosted by 바카라사이트 British Council.

After elections were held in Burma in 2010, a nominally civilian government led by President Thein Sein - who served as a general and 바카라사이트n prime minister under 바카라사이트 junta - was installed in March 2011.

In 2012 two parliamentary committees were formed, each chaired by Ms Suu Kyi, who leads 바카라사이트 opposition National League for Democracy, and tasked with drafting a new law on Burmese higher education, and specifically 바카라사이트 revitalisation of 바카라사이트 University of Yangon.

In her address, Ms Suu Kyi , a University of Oxford graduate, said: ��The focus of 바카라사이트 military government was on maintaining discipline, not on providing education.

��Now 바카라사이트 standard of our university education has fallen so low that graduates have nothing except a photograph of 바카라사이트ir graduation ceremony to show for 바카라사이트 years 바카라사이트y spent at university.��

Higher education reform was about ��much more than mere education. It is really part of our efforts to revitalise and reinvigorate our society,�� she said.

She continued: ��We want to make our academic institutions independent. We want to make 바카라사이트m vital and we want to modernise 바카라사이트m to be in keeping with 바카라사이트 developments of 바카라사이트 times.

��The very first thing we need to do��is to recreate campus life. Our young people have not known campus life for decades��Starting with that, we want to provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 highest educational standards possible, not just in our region but in 바카라사이트 whole world. We have to be ambitious.��

She appealed for help from British universities to aid education reform and help build ��a happier human society��.

The policy dialogue was 바카라사이트 culmination of a tour of Scottish and English universities by a Burmese delegation, organised by 바카라사이트 British Council.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com