“The political transition is too good an opportunity to be missed, as [Myanmar] commits itself to establishing the basis for a strong higher education system,” reports Jamil Salmi who is the global tertiary education expert and former World Bank tertiary education coordinator.
A major higher education policy summit focusing on “Empowering Higher Education: A Vision for Myanmar’s Universities” was held on June 29, 2013. The two-day meeting was organized by UNESCO, AusAID, the British Council and the Asian Development Bank along with support from various representatives from the education ministries sector, student leaders, members of parliament, and other global leaders in education interested in improving higher education reform in Myanmar.
There was a call to develop four dimensions of empowerment as the organizing principles that should guide higher education development in the current reconstruction phase: empowerment through autonomy (self management vs. present situation of strict govt. control); inclusiveness (basic requirement to ensure equal opportunities for all groups in Myanmar society–equal access and success in higher education; empowerment for change–referring to the ability of each university to transform itself.
Deputy Education Minister Myo Myint said the government’s drive towards, “strengthening democracy” would see “higher education play a very important role in providing experience in democracy.” Myanmar leaders envision political transition as a unique opportunity to construct a sound and balanced higher education system away from tradition and reluctance of stakeholders to embrace change. The collaboration of the Myanmar government along with development partners saw an opportunity to consider the complex issues facing Myanmar and sort through possible solutions for the development of higher education. Despite the political tensions and scars that remain after the student uprising of August 1988–resulting in thousands of deaths and arrests as well as sanctions from the international community– Myanmar began to move toward education reform with the recent 2011 political transition.
Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in her role as chair of the parliamentary committee for revitalization of Yangon University set the tone for the workshops by challenging universities to nurture “vigorous young people capable of meeting the challenges our country will face.” Perhaps, Myanmar’s current generation will see this challenge met in their lifetime.
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Written by Melody Chiang