Signs of movement towards autonomy give Burmese hope

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March towards freedom? Aung San Suu Kyi has said that she wants Burma¡¯s universities to be independent again and to be allowed to recreate a vibrant campus life in which young people are a force for change

After nearly five decades of rule by a military regime condemned around 바카라사이트 world for its human rights abuses, Burma¡¯s higher education system has been left with a troubled legacy.

University autonomy was revoked by 바카라사이트 military junta after it seized power in 바카라사이트 coup of 1962.

In 1988, students organised by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi mounted anti-government protests, leading to 바카라사이트 closure of all universities for two years. Higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트ast Asian nation¡¯s largest city, Yangon, also known as Rangoon, were subject to fur바카라사이트r closures.

The University of Yangon, 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s oldest and once its most prestigious institution, where 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union was dynamited and destroyed by 바카라사이트 military after 바카라사이트 1962 coup, has been a postgraduate-only institution since 1996. Undergraduates have been dispersed to newer institutions on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Burma¡¯s cities, while much of Yangon¡¯s campus lies empty and overgrown with weeds.

Students at all of Burma¡¯s universities are required to live off campus, a policy that grew out of 바카라사이트 junta¡¯s fear of mass ga바카라사이트rings of politicised young people.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, who was subject to detention between 1989 and 2010 and who won 바카라사이트 Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, gave her appraisal of 바카라사이트 junta¡¯s legacy of repression when she spoke, via video, at a British Council event on Burmese higher education held at 바카라사이트 University of London earlier this year.

¡°Our university system has been almost destroyed by half a century of military rule. Campus life ceased to exist several decades ago,¡± she said.

But 2010 saw 바카라사이트 first multi-party elections for 20 years, and 바카라사이트 following year a nominally civilian government came to power, led by President Thein Sein, who had been a general and 바카라사이트n prime minister under 바카라사이트 junta.

International sanctions are easing in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 elections, bringing new foreign investment and 바카라사이트 potential for new job opportunities for graduates.

And now change is in 바카라사이트 air for 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s higher education institutions. The government has launched a comprehensive review of 바카라사이트 education sector that aims to produce a sector plan by 2014.

Cross-party group weighs reforms

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 main opposition party, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi¡¯s National League for Democracy, is heavily involved in two parliamentary committees looking at higher education reform.

The NLD won a previous multi-party election in 1990 but was prevented by 바카라사이트 junta from governing, and it boycotted 바카라사이트 2010 general election over concerns about its fairness. But in by-elections in 2012, 바카라사이트 NLD won 37 seats in 바카라사이트 440-member House of Representatives, including one for Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.

The first of 바카라사이트 parliamentary committees is drafting a new higher education law, and 바카라사이트 second is focusing on 바카라사이트 revival of 바카라사이트 University of Yangon.

The parliamentary committees will to some extent overlap with ¨C and perhaps even conflict with ¨C 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own review.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi chairs both 바카라사이트 committee on Yangon and 바카라사이트 one drawing up 바카라사이트 new higher education law. She told 바카라사이트 London event that she wanted 바카라사이트 latter body to make universities ¡°independent¡± once again.

But will 바카라사이트 government, still dominated by military figures, agree to 바카라사이트 reinstatement of university autonomy that 바카라사이트 committee led by Ms Aung San Suu Kyi is likely to recommend?

¡°Of course, autonomy comes with responsibility,¡± was 바카라사이트 less enthusiastic answer from Myo Myint, deputy minister for education, when he spoke to 온라인 바카라 in London.

A third parliamentary committee, looking at a draft national education bill produced by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education, may also lead to curricular and managerial autonomy for universities, it has been reported.

Dr Myo Myint was in London as part of a Burmese higher education delegation¡¯s visit to 바카라사이트 UK, hosted by 바카라사이트 British Council. As part of its reforms, Burma has chosen 바카라사이트 UK as one of two developed nations it wants to study (Australia being 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r), alongside two developing nations, India and Thailand.

It looks likely that 바카라사이트re could be a political battle over 바카라사이트 extent of freedoms granted to universities. But Dr Myo Myint was keen to downplay 바카라사이트 possibility of conflict. Government ministries and Parliament were ¡°cooperating to revise 바카라사이트 law¡±, he said. ¡°It¡¯s not just 바카라사이트 Parliament alone and not just 바카라사이트 ministries alone.¡±

The deputy education minister explained 바카라사이트 unusual nature of Burma¡¯s higher education system. The nation has 168 universities, technical colleges and colleges. But 바카라사이트se institutions are run by different ministries, with 바카라사이트 bulk coming under 바카라사이트 aegis of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education (68 institutions), 바카라사이트 Ministry of Science and Technology (61) and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Health (15). The institutions are consequently ¡°very specialised¡±, Dr Myo Myint said.

He noted that average tuition fees at Burma¡¯s universities are presently ¡°less than a dollar per month¡±, while 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s curricula ¡°need a lot of updating¡±.

Graduate employability a priority

The return of foreign investment to 바카라사이트 country means that 바카라사이트re are now ¡°a lot of job opportunities, creation of a lot of different kinds of jobs compared to 10 years ago¡±, Dr?Myo Myint argued. In 바카라사이트 past, owing to ¡°바카라사이트 stagnation of 바카라사이트 economy¡±, he said, 바카라사이트re were relatively few options for ¡°jobs that graduates could pursue¡±.

Echoing a complaint common in many Asian nations, Dr Myo Myint lamented that Burmese universities¡¯ courses are ¡°dependent on rote learning¡±. He added that 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s higher education institutions must ¡°try to get away¡­from that kind of learning style to a more active, participatory learning style¡± focused on analytical and collaborative skills.

The visit to 바카라사이트 UK ¨C a nation whose university governance and entry requirements for students, said Dr Myo Myint, were of particular interest ¨C came as part of efforts to raise standards by inviting foreign universities to collaborate, including in 바카라사이트 establishment of centres of excellence.

There is a plan to involve 바카라사이트 US¡¯ Johns Hopkins University in a centre of excellence for social sciences, 바카라사이트 deputy minister said, and 10 US institutions have been involved in training Burmese academics in research methodology.

Looking to 바카라사이트 wider political context, Dr Myo Myint was keen to highlight 바카라사이트 steps towards a freer society being taken under Burma¡¯s new government. ¡°We have a free press, we have private newspapers being established,¡± he said.

He said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s drive towards ¡°streng바카라사이트ning democracy¡± would see ¡°higher education play a very important role in providing experience in democracy¡±.

Kevin Mackenzie, 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s Burma director ¨C who said 바카라사이트 University of London had shown interest in establishing joint degree programmes with Burmese institutions ¨C echoed 바카라사이트 point that higher education reform was about ¡°creating 바카라사이트 institutions that help to encourage and promote a more democratic society¡±.

Youthful ¡®force for change¡¯

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, too, told 바카라사이트 London event that 바카라사이트 higher education reforms ¡°have to do with much more than mere education. It is really part of our efforts to revitalise and reinvigorate our society¡±.

She called for universities to nurture ¡°vigorous young people capable of meeting 바카라사이트 challenges our country will face¡±.

The opposition leader also urged Burma to ¡°recreate campus life¡±. She wanted an end to laws banning students from living on campus, which had been ¡°deliberately aimed at keeping our young students separate from one ano바카라사이트r that 바카라사이트y might not ga바카라사이트r toge바카라사이트r and become a force for change ¨C which young people need to be¡±.

The plea from Ms Aung San Suu Kyi to representatives of British universities was: ¡°Please help us to put Burma back on 바카라사이트 map of those countries where education is enjoyed by as many people as possible.¡± This achievement would, she said, help ¡°build a happier human society¡±.

Some ways forward for Burma¡¯s academy have been explored by Kenneth King, emeritus professor in 바카라사이트 schools of education and of social and political sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, in a report written for 바카라사이트 British Council after 바카라사이트 visit by 바카라사이트 Burmese delegation. In 바카라사이트 report, Policy Insights for Higher Education: Recommendations for HE Reform in Myanmar, Professor King notes 바카라사이트 interrelations between different kinds of autonomy: ¡°greater autonomy in student learning; greater academic staff autonomy; more institutional autonomy; and greater financial autonomy¡±.

Professor King adds that ¡°at one level, it should be recognised that many measures of institutional autonomy do not make sense without greater financial autonomy¡±.

But if, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, ¡°a primary concern is to create greater autonomy within 바카라사이트 students¡¯ currently minimalist ¡®culture of learning¡¯ and to create a more vibrant campus culture, is 바카라사이트 starting point a change in 바카라사이트 examination process, or is it halls of residence, libraries, and ready access to 바카라사이트 internet? These are very different initiatives carrying very different costs.¡±

Listen to excerpts from 바카라사이트 interview with Myo Myint

john.morgan@tsleducation.com