XVII. EDUCATION

Data on education is presented under broad streams - General, Professional, Technical and Vocational. Data shown under General and Professional streams relate to sectors of Basic Education, Higher Education, Two-year Colleges and University of Distance Education while under Technical and Vocational streams, Teachers' Training Programme (Basic Education) and Technical, Agricultural and Vocational Education are shown respectively.

Under the General and Professional streams, enrolment of students is shown against teaching staff for better appraisal of student-teacher ratio. Data on state scholars are also presented.

Details of tables are outlined under the respective sector headings.

Basic Education

Education statistics on schools, teachers and students are shown in Table 17.01 by state and division. Data on students appearing for the Basic Education High School (BEHS) Examination are also presented.

The new system of Basic Education High School Examination was introduced in 1979 and the students were allowed to appear as the last chance under the old system, in which the subjects were bifurcated into Arts and Science, and the results were published in A and B lists. Only the A list students were allowed to join colleges and institutes. Under the new system, one composite list of students who passed BEHS examination was issued without bifurcating into Arts and Science and, all of the students in the lists were allowed to proceed for higher studies. But in 1987, the system again turned back to the old system with bifurcation of subjects into Arts and Science and classification of successful candicates into A and B lists. Since Basic Education High School examination was not held in 1988-89, the data for 1988-89 had been deleted in Table 17.03 and 17.04. Table 17.03 provides statistics on student population who appeared in and passed the B.E.H.S examination while Table 17.04 shows the total number of persons (including students) appearing for the B.E.H.S. examination.

Regarding teachers' training, the Academy for the Development of National Groups, formerly under the Basic Education Department was put under the administration of Public Services Selection and Training Board with effect from 1 November 1988 and renamed as University for the Development of National Races of the Union.

Monastic Education Schools

With the aim of providing the needy children and various parts of the country with education and enabling them to become culturally refined citizen, 1074 Monastic Education Schools has been opened in 228 townships, attended by a total of 7735 novices, 841 nuns, 77212 boy - students and 63934 girl- students in the 2002-2003 academic year as shown in table 17.02. Donations for Monastic Education are offered not only by people within the country but also by people from abroad.

Higher Education

In this sector, data relating to Professional Institutes, Universities, Degree Colleges and Two-year Colleges are shown in Table 17.05, 17.06 and 17.07 respectively. Data on student enrollment, teaching and research staff at the institutes of higher education and graduates by type of specialization are included. Classes at the institutes of higher learning were suspended during 1989 and 1990 and reopened in 1991. No examinations were held from 1988 to 1990. Institute of Computer Science and Technology was opened in 1988 and Dagon University was established in 1993. Institute of Computer Science and Technology, Mandalay and Technology, Pyay were opened in 1997. Institute of Medicine (Magway), University of Kyaukse and West Yangon were opened in 2001. Meiktila, Hinthada Degree Colleges were upgraded to University in 2001.Myanmar Aerospace and Engineering University was opened in 2002.

Two-year Colleges

Geographical distribution of two-year colleges by State and Division, teaching staff, student enrolment and performance at examinations are shown in Table 17.08.

Mawlamyine and Taunggyi Degree Colleges were upgraded as Universities in 1986 and 1991-92 academic years respectively. Kalay college was established in 1993 and two-year colleges of Monywa and Bago were upgraded in 1993. Hpa-an, Shwebo, Lashio, Kalay Colleges were upgraded in 2001.

Distance Education

Correspondence course in education is given to in-service graduate teachers by the Institute of Education, while enrolment in Arts, Science, Law and Economics is accepted in the University of Distance Education which was established on 15th June 1992. The University was formely called University Correspondence Education Centre. Data on distant enrolment are shown in Table 17.09.

State Scholars

Data on State Scholars are obtained from Higher Education Department and Foreign Economic Relations Department and are shown in Table 17.10 under various subject headings.

Teachers' Training

Data on outturn of Primary Assistant Teachers from Education College Grade II (Teachers' Training Schools) and Junior Assistant Teachers from Education College Grade I (Teachers' Training Colleges) are shown in Table 17.11 by state and division where colleges are established. Data on students trained at the University for the Development of National Races of the Union have been incorporated in the data on Education Colleges of the Sagaing Division.

Technical, Agricultural and Vocational Training

Vocational trainees from Government Technical High-Schools, Agricultural High Schools, Education College Grade I and II, Commercial Schools, Engineering Technology Evening Classes and Handicraft Schools are presented in Table 17.12 with additional data on Weaving Schools, Government Technical Institute, Evening Classes and Myanma Lacquer ware Institute.

Outturn of vocational trainees from Government Technical Institutes, Engineering Technology Evening Classes, Handicraft School and Government Technical High Schools is also presented by type of skill in Table 17.13.

It should be noted that Engineering Technology Evening Classes were suspended during the period from 1989 to 1992. Lacquer School was upgraded as Myanma Lacquerware Institute on 7th Apirl 1995.