Educational System of Myanmar

a. Geographical Location of the Country

Myanmar, also called Burma, country, located in the western portion of

mainland Southeast Asia. In 1989 the country’s official English name,

which it had held since 1885, was changed from the Union of Burma to

the Union of Myanmar; in the Burmese language the country has been

known as Myanma (or, more precisely, Mranma Prañ) since the 13th

century. The English name of the city that served as the country’s

capital from 1948 to 2006, Rangoon, also was dropped in 1989 in favour

of the common Burmese name, Yangon.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Myanmar

b. Population

The current population of Myanmar (formerly Burma) is 54,146,906 as of Friday,

October 11, 2019, based on Worldometers elaboration of the latest United Nations

data. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/myanmar-population/

c. People

Myanmar is a country of great ethnic diversity. The Burmans, who form

the largest group, account for more than half of the population. They are

concentrated in the Irrawaddy River valley and in the coastal strips, with

an original homeland in the central dry zone.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Myanmar/Climate#ref52574
d. Income per Capita

e. GDP

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Myanmar was last recorded at
1571.90 US dollars in 2018. The GDP per Capita in Myanmar is equivalent
to 12 percent of the world's average. GDP per capita in Myanmar averaged
424.68 USD from 1960 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 1571.90
USD in 2018 and a record low of 145 USD in 1967.
https://tradingeconomics.com/myanmar/gdp-per-capita

f. GNP

GNI per capita, PPP (current international $) in Myanmar was reported at 5530 in

2016, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled

from officially recognized sources. https://tradingeconomics.com/myanmar/gni-per-capita-

ppp-us-dollar-wb-data.html

g. Major Religion

Although Myanmar has no official religion, nearly nine-tenths of the

population follows Theravada Buddhism. The vast majority of Burmans

and Shan are Buddhist. There is, however, a significant Protestant

Christian minority, concentrated primarily among the Karen, Kachin, and

Chin communities. Many of the other hill peoples practice local religions,
and even those who adhere to world religions typically incorporate local

elements to some degree. Muslims, mostly Burman, and Hindus are

among the smallest religious minorities.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Myanmar/Languages#ref52575

h. Languages

Many indigenous languages—as distinct from mere dialects—are

spoken in Myanmar. The official language is Burmese, spoken by the
people of the plains and, as a second language, by most people of the
hills. During the colonial period, English became the official language,
but Burmese continued as the primary language in all other settings.
Both English and Burmese were compulsory subjects in schools and
colleges. Burmese, Chinese, and Hindi were the languages of
commerce. After independence English ceased to be the official
language, and after the military coup of 1962 it lost its importance in
schools and colleges; an elementary knowledge of English, however, is
still required, and its instruction is again being encouraged.
The local languages of Myanmar belong to three language families.
Burmese and most of the other languages belong to the Tibeto-
Burman subfamily of Sino-Tibetan languages. The Shan
language belongs to the Tai family. Languages spoken by the Mon of
southern Myanmar and by the Wa and Palaung of the Shan Plateau are
members of the Mon-Khmer subfamily of Austroasiatic languages.
Speakers of Burmese and Mon historically have lived in the plains, while
speakers of a unique dialect of Burmese (that perhaps retains
some archaic features of pronunciation) have occupied
the Rakhine and Tenasserim coastal plains. The hills were inhabited by
those speaking Shan, Kachin, Chin, and numerous other languages. In
the plains the ancient division between northern and southern Myanmar
(Upper Burma and Lower Burma, respectively) was based not only on
geographic differences but also on a linguistic one. The Mon (now a
small minority) lived in southern Myanmar, while the majority Burman
population lived in the northern dry zone.
Until colonial times only Burmese, Mon, Shan, and the languages of the

ancient Pyu kingdom of northern Myanmar were written. Writing

systems for the languages of the Karen, Kachin, and Chin peoples were

developed later. https://www.britannica.com/place/Myanmar/Languages

i. Distinctive Features of Education

Myanmar education is basically run by government ministries and most universities are
based in the divisions of Yangon and Mandalay. But there are 150 universities and colleges
that are divided into 14 divisions and states. In Ayeyawady Division, there are 12 universities
and colleges; 9 in Bago division; 1 in Chin State; 8 in Kachin State; 3 in kayah State; 4 in
Kayin State; 14 in Magway division; 32 in Mandalay division; 5 in Mon state; 4 in Rakhine
state; 12 in sagaing division; 12 in Shan state; 7 in Taninthayi division; and 34 in Yangon
division including the yangon University.
To give you a good notion on how Myanmar education is being chunked to provide the best
to every child and adult Burmese, the education starts at Kinder 1 and extends up to Kinder
3. Then, primary schooling lasts for 1 to 5 years. This is followed by lower secondary
education that lasts for 6 to 8 years and followed by upper secondary that lasts for another 1
to 2 years. Regional college then follows for those who cannot obtain degree-oriented ones.
This usually lasts for 1 or 2 years while the degreed ones in the University lasts for 3 to 4
years. The masters will then follow that extends for 1 to 2 years and ends with doctoral that
usually takes another 6 to 9 years. Myanmar education also provides engineering studies
that lasts for 5 to 6 years while medicine for 6 and a half years. This education should be an
additional to a separate degree that prerequisite to the field of medicine. Distance learning
degrees are also available for additional 5 years of studies.
https://www.studycountry.com/guide/MM-education.htm

j. Mission

To provide public service through research, training and extension To create education

system for the national human resources development which enables the professionals to

provide leadership in different institutions and, in addition, supply science and technology

and contribute to national and regional growth and development

https://www.slideshare.net/crmimct/edu-and-hrd1-dr-tin-htut

k. Vision

Vision: Sustainable education system that will generate a learning society capable of

developing knowledge-based economyhttps://www.slideshare.net/crmimct/edu-and-hrd1-dr-

tin-htut

l. Objectives
Ensuring and expanding social safety-net through well balanced education

systemhttps://www.slideshare.net/crmimct/edu-and-hrd1-dr-tin-htut

m. Number of Available Schools; e.g.

There are currently 47, 365 basic education schools in Myanmar with approximately 9.26 million

students. http://afeo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Education-System-in-Myanmar-Brief-

Description-of-Primary-Secondary-Tertiary-Education.pdf

Number of Primary Schools: 39,305; Number of Middle Schools: 3,871; Number of High

Schools: 1,737; Number of Universities and Colleges - 151. State Expenditure - 31,997.44

(millions in Kyat). http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-

3117.html

n. Levels of Education including length

 Semestral terms

The school year begins in June and ends in March. Schools are closed for summer in

April and May. There are around 198 school days, including test and examination days.

https://themimu.info/sites/themimu.info/files/documents/Snapshot_Education_Sector

_for_School_Safety_Education_in_Emergencies.pdf

 Average Class Size

Thu Hein Kyaw of Accent Learning wrote: “There are three types of schools in

Myanmar that offer primary education: public schools, private schools and religious-

run schools. The number of State-run schools called public schools is over 41,000 in

the whole country. As the land area of Myanmar is just over 677,000 sq km, the

farthest distance from home to school is about 2 kilometers on average. At this

moment, there are about 185,000 primary school teachers and as a result the overall

teacher-student ratio is 1:29. [Source: Thu Hein Kyaw, Accent Learning, ELTO Intake

<<] http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-3117.html
 Number of school days

There are around 198 school days, including test and examination days

https://themimu.info/sites/themimu.info/files/documents/Snapshot_Education_Sector

_for_School_Safety_Education_in_Emergencies.pdf

 Holidays
o. Schedules of Classes

5 days a week, Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm

https://www.mmtimes.com/national-news/yangon/26030-no-plan-for-6-day-school-week-yet-

moe.html

p. Size of Rooms

30 ft x 22 ft classroom for a standard class of 40 pupils (or 16.5 sq ft per pupil)

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/in/rest/annotationSVC/DownloadWatermarkedAttachment/attach_imp

ort_93a65ae2-0eb7-46ef-ab33-7742664eea53?_=217628engo.pdf

q. Tuition fee

r. Medium of Instruction

Burmese is the language of instruction, and English is taught in the secondary schools;

as of 1982, however, English became the medium of instruction in the

universities. https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Myanmar-

EDUCATION.html#ixzz626xDaEaC

s. Grading System

Grade Scale Grade Description US Grade

5 65.00 - 100.00 Excellent A

4 50.00 - 64.00 Good B

3 40.00 - 49.00 Average C

2 30.00 - 39.00 Pass D

0.00 - 29.00 Fail F

https://www.scholaro.com/pro/Countries/myanmar/Grading-System

t. Ratio

Teacher-student ratio is 1:29. http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-

asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-3117.html

u. Survival Rate

Drop-out rate from Grade 1 of lower secondary general education, male

(%) in Myanmar was reported at 11.62 % in 2009, according to the World
Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially
recognized sources. https://tradingeconomics.com/myanmar/drop-out-rate-from-
grade-1-of-lower-secondary-general-education-male-percent-wb-data.html
v. Promotion Rate
According to UNESCO Burma - Myanmar it has an adult literacy rate of 75.55%. While the

male literacy rate is 80.01%, for females is 71.85%, showing a gap between the sexes.

https://countryeconomy.com/demography/literacy-rate/burma

w. School Activities

x. Lesson Planning Guidelines/Course Guide

y. Salary Scheme of Teachers

http://www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-survey.php?loc=148&loctype=1&job=50&jobtype=1

z. Ranking Procedures

aa. Composition of the Department of Education (Heads of Offices)

The Ministry of Education aims to nurture future oriented advanced science and technology
professionals, support national economic development and promote research. In order to
 rectify and strengthen the purposes, Ministry of Education expanded into new Ministry of
Science and Technology in 1996. This ministry focused on research and development,
intellectual property, standardization, quality assuring, basic infrastructure development,
nuclear safety and human resource development. In 2016, the five departments from
Ministry of Science and Technology merged with Ministry of Education with the aim of
forming momentum in national development. Currently, Ministry of Education is taking control
in national development with four categories.

1. Research and development category

2. Human resource development category
3. Foreign collaboration and co-operation category
4. Rural development category
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Education_(Myanmar)

bb. Curricular Programs

Standards-Based, Outcome-Based Learning

Academic standards, or learning outcomes, are the foundation of the ISY curriculum, and
through these standards, teachers identify the skills, knowledge, processes and
understandings that are taught and assessed. Instruction is built upon rich, scaffolded
learning experiences that facilitate student attainment of the standards, and instructional
resources are aligned to learning experiences. The ISY adopted standards provide coherent
learning progressions beginning in Pre-Kindergarten continuing through to Grade 12, and
they communicate to students, parents, teachers, and administrators what students are
expected to learn in each subject area and at each grade level.
Standards alone do not form a curriculum—a curriculum is comprised of all facets of the
instructional and assessment process including diagnostic, formative, and summative
assessments, learning activities, resources, and classroom environments that support
learning.
The subject areas for which ISY has adopted internationally recognized academic standards
are: mathematics, English language arts, social studies, science, world languages, physical
education, library, health and wellness, visual arts, music, drama, film, and technology.
Each subject’s standards are organized by strands (also known as domains or categories)
which describe the major components of the subject. Each strand has a set of standards
which describe the skills, knowledge, and understandings students are to demonstrate by the
time they finish high school. Standards are typically few in number and broad in scope.
Further, for each standard, there are grade level indicators, which are grade-level points of
reference that are specific descriptions of knowledge, skill, or understanding.
https://isyedu.org/learning/curriculum-assessment/

cc. Scholarships, its beneficiaries

Scholarship programs are sponsored by the United States Department of State’s

Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs and include programs such as Fulbright,
Humphrey, UGrad, SEALYP, and SUSI, among many others. The programs
provide a fully-funded opportunity to:

 study, teach, and/or conduct research

 exchange ideas
 find solutions to shared international concerns
 learn about the United States
https://mm.usembassy.gov/education-culture/scholarship-programs/

dd. Innovation and Reforms in Education

 Open University

Using environmental science disciplines to

catalyse reform in distance education

Transformation by Innovation in Distance Education (TIDE) aims to improve the

quality of higher education in Myanmar at a critical time in the country’s
development.
There is now an increasing demand for skilled graduates to meet new
employment needs, particularly in relation to the environmental management of
Myanmar’s natural resources to ensure sustainability over years of rapid
development.
http://www.open.ac.uk/about/international-development/projects-and-
programmes/tide-transformation-innovation-distance-education

 Modalities of delivery mode

ee. Linkages

Linkage implies the communication and working relationship established between two or more

organizations pursuing commonly shared objectives in order to have regular contact and

improved productivity (Agbamu, 2000; Sadighi, 2005) https://www.lift-fund.org/sites/lift-

fund.org/files/uploads/Agriculture_Extension_Workshop/Linkage-Edu-Research-Agri_AES-

Workshop_30Mar2015.pdf

ff. Sustainable Programs

A child’s early years are vital to develop the skills and attributes that prepare
them for the future. Only 20 per cent of children in Myanmar between ages 3 and
5 are attending an organized early childhood education programme, according to
a 2015 survey.
Access to early learning is recognized as a specific child right and a key target under the
Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

At primary school level, 81 per cent of children aged 6–10 years attend school,
the 2014 census found. This means that 1 in 5 children are not attending, either
because they never entered school or dropped out. Fees related to education
are one of the main causes for many children to give up on schooling. Another
main reason for children to drop out of school is the limited quality and relevance
of the education that is offered. Economic hardships force many young children
to give up education in order to work.
https://www.unicef.org/myanmar/education

gg. Other features

MYANMAR EDUCATION SYSTEM

The education system of Myanmar is operated by the Ministry of Education. Universities and
professional institutes from upper Myanmar and lower Myanmar are run by two separate entities,
the Departments of Higher Learning 1 and 2, whose offices are based in Mandalay and Yangon
respectively. The education system is based on the United Kingdom’s system, due to nearly a
century of British presence in Myanmar.
The education system of Myanmar is operated by the Ministry of Education. Universities and
professional institutes from upper Myanmar and lower Myanmar are run by two separate entities,
the Departments of Higher Learning 1 and 2, whose offices are based in Mandalay and Yangon
respectively. The education system is based on the United Kingdom’s system, due to nearly a
century of British presence in Myanmar. Nearly all schools are government-operated, but
recently, there has been an increase in privately funded schools (which specialise in English).
Schooling is compulsory until the end of elementary school. Many students attend universities at
overseas countries such as Singapore and Thailand for a Master’s degree.
The literacy rate of Myanmar, according the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (2005) stands at
89.7% (males: 93.7%, females: 86.2%), although there is dispute over the accuracy of the
provided literacy rates. The annual budget allocated to education by the government is low; only
about 1.2% is spent per year on education.
The education in Myanmar has long been regarded as important and significant. Traditionally,
boys were taught at monastery schools, where they would learn Burmese and basic arithmetic
skills. However, British colonial rule caused a shift towards a Westernised education system.
Christian missionary schools in Yangon, Mandalay and other major cities served as preparatory
schools for the upper classes. During this period Burmese universities were thought to be the
most prestigious in Southeast Asia.
When Myanmar gained independence in 1948, the government sought to create a literate and
educated population, and Myanmar was believed to be on its way to become the first Asian Tiger
in the region. However, military dictatorship took hold in 1962 and Myanmar became an isolated
and impoverished nation. All schools were nationalised and standards began to fall. When the
government renamed itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in the early
1990s, major universities such as the University of Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon Arts and
Sciences University) and the University of Mandalay were shut down due to continuing student
unrest and protests. However, they were reopened in the late 1990s.
Today, Myanmar lags far behind in terms of educational standards. Once at its zenith in the
region, Myanmar today has unqualified teachers, very little resources, and aging materials. Many
universities have been built and scattered throughout cities to prevent students from potential
unrest.

https://dnqtravel.com/myanmar/myanmar-facts/myanmar-education-system.html