Our country and our people can keep abreast with other countries in the future only when works for educational development and promotion can be done from all fronts

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and party pose for documentary photo together with outstanding students.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla cordially greet outstanding students and servicemen.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing presents prize to offifi cer-in-charge from Basic Education High School (Shwenattaung).

Daw Kyu Kyu Hla gives medal, prize and certificate of honour to Ma Shoon Lei Yi Phu, daughter of Maj-Gen Khun Thant Zaw Htoo.

Daw Than Than Nwe presents medal, prize and certificate of honour to Ma Aung Kay Zin Hein, daughter of Captain Aung Kyaw Oo (Retd).

Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Hsan Oo presents awards and certificates of honour to 32 distinction-winning soldiers.

Nay Pyi Taw July 9

Our country and our people can keep abreast with other countries in the future only when works for educational development and promotion can be done from all fronts. Industrial and developed countries have a lot of educated people. It is found that their capacities are a bit high as they are well-versed in relevant subjects. Our citizens need to make strenuous efforts for the country’s development after taking examples of these countries. Today’s youths must be more intelligent than their forefathers, said Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in his address at the ceremony to honour soldiers, children of the Tatmadaw families and war veteran families who passed the matriculation examination for 2017-2018 academic year with flying colours and all-round outstanding youths, held at Zeyathiri Beikman, here, this afternoon.

Also present at the ceremony were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, the Union Minister for Home Affairs and wife, the Union Minister for Defence and wife, the Union Minister for Border Affairs and wife, the Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) and wife, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) and wife, the Commander-in-Chief (Air) and wife, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Command Commander, Director-General U Ko Lay Win from the Education Ministry, prize-winning soldiers and students, parents, teachers and specially invited guests.

In his speech, the Senior General said the motto “Better education standard can promote the lives of our people” is always true at any time. Like the word “Lotus will elevate based on water level”, education standard will become as high as patriotic spirits harmoniously. Being rich in natural resources alone is not sufficient enough for the development of a country. It relies on the basic facts such as natural resources, technology improvements, disciplines and a sense of developed minds. Among them, technology improvements and disciplines depend mainly on high education standard. For the development of education sector, the successive governments have been working to implement basic, high, vocational and higher education harmoniously. At the same time, our Tatmadaw has been making strenuous efforts for the promotion of education sector which is a basic foundation for the development of the country.

The Senior General continued to say that there are different views and definitions of education. Among them, the simple and meaningful definition is “Education is the one that can build necessary minds and physical characters to overcome difficulties successfully. That is to say, an educated person may live a healthy and wealthy life. The better education system alone can help people become healthy and strong and turn our country into a developed and affluent one aspired by all people. Only education can nurture citizens to equip them with think higher and superior creative skills. Citizens are to be engrossed and interested in the national education system practically in individuals and groups.

For Tatmadaw’s efforts for development of education sector, the Senior General said the Tatmadaw is working on three phases for educational development in each unit, educational promotion of family members and servicemen. For educational development in regions where battalions, units and headquarters are located and nearby regions, the Tatmadaw is extending a helping hand to schools for their physical appearance of schools and heath programme. Now local ethnics and the family members of servicemen are attending at 32 Tatmadaw basic education high schools and middle schools. The 24,580 out of 43,467 students who attended 32 at Tatmadaw basic education schools in 2017-2018 academic year were offspring of local people. Likewise, 23,383 (55.84 per cent) out of 41,873 students in 2018-2019 academic year are offspring of local people.

With regard to the education promotion of family members of Tatmadawmen, it can be classified into two—education promotion of offspring and wives of servicemen. Servicemen’s wives who lived in remote and least developed regions have to be far from education due to various circumstances. For educational promotion, the Tatmadaw opens basic literacy courses and holds reading sections in battalions and units every year. In addition, discussions, extempore talks and debates are held every month in order that they have exposures to reading. Libraries are opened in units. As part of promoting education standards of family members of servicemen, each unit and battalion, the Tatmadaw provides them with cash, stationery and school uniform and help their school enrollment twice a year—the beginning and middle of academic year. At the end of academic year, each unit and battalion hold reading sections and invite scholars to explain the exam guides in order that students can sit the exam easily. Thanks to it, there were 50 six-distinction students, 119 five-distinction students, 156 four-distinction students, 34 all-round outstanding youths and 84 students who win university scholarship, in 2017-2018 academic year and they were offspring of families of Tatmadawmen and those of war veterans. There are 477 students who passed the exam with flying colours from Tatmadaw basic education high schools, up 20 compared with last year’s figures.

No.2 Basic Education High School (Mingaladon) which is a Tatmadaw BEHS, can retain the high exam pass rate yearly. This year, it stood second on the list of exam pass rate with 88.3 percent. The average exam pass rate of 29 Tatmadaw basic education schools is 31.27 percent only. These schools need to make reforms after reviewing their advantages and disadvantages practically. Tatmadawmen are servants. We send our offspring to school to become educated ones spending our salaries.

With regard to the education promotion of servicemen, Tatmadaw education schools help those who have passed the basic primary level, pursue middle, high and higher education. In 2018-2019 academic year, more than 2,800 servicemen are pursuing middle and high school education at 12 middle and high Tatmadaw education schools. In 2017-2018 academic year, 105 servicemen passed the matriculation exam and 26 of them passed the exam with flying colours. Number of distinction winner increased to 26 this year, exceeding four winners rather than 22 of 2016-2017 academic year. Officials need to continuously maintain the improvement results. Only when all officials cooperate among them in three sections of education promotion activities of the Tatmadaw, will they build a powerful and capable modern Tatmadaw through the successes of respective military commands and the achievement of the whole Tatmadaw.

The Senior General continued to say that the Tatmadaw set the aims to serve the long-term national interest such as not only education promotion tasks but also strengthening of patriotic spirit of the youths, correct attitude, development of five capabilities, and perpetuation of the Independence and sovereignty of the State. In so doing, the Senior General said that basic and advanced marine youth courses and aviation youth courses have been conducted during the summer holidays since 2014. Up to 2018, a total of 4,166 youths have been trained in the courses. Respective military commands, regiments and units are also conducting the sports courses, cultural courses, computer science courses and English proficiency courses to be able to contribute to the multi-purpose education sector. Training as well as Continuous Self-Learning is of importance to gain momentum in education promotion and development of education tasks. Libraries are basic needs for the continuous self-learning. Hence, libraries are being opened at military units and offices for enabling all soldiers and families from regiments and units and military headquarters to have a wider range of knowledge as part of efforts to implement the plans from the illiterate eradication to the non-reader eradication. Educative talks were held for them to have knowledge of reading so as to improve reading skills. Myawady Literary House and Tatmadaw printing houses print and publish fiction and non-fiction books for the libraries. So also, the Senior General said he himself read and chose the suitable books for Tatmadawmen and families to carry out more printing. Hence, he urged the Tatmadawmen and families to adore the education with individual attitude.

Next, the Senior General explained that Myanmar people have been emphasizing the reading and literary talks in successive eras. Buddhist monk great port Shin Maharatthasara who emerged in more than 550 years composed the poem, mentioning that “various items of literatures need to be searched and read at home; if so, even sons and wives without knowledge would be cleaver when they heard literature daily”. He said all and he had learnt and heard that poem in childhood. Hence, all need to apply it. In learning, the poem of Shin Maharatthasara, describing the eight words—Su, Ci, Pu, Bha; Vi, Li, Si, Dha—need to be composed for upholding them daily was significant and the poem is still in conformity with the current era. Hence, it is distinct that Myanmar people know and adore the value of knowledge.

Afterwards, the Senior General said that based on statistics for students from basic education schools from 2007-2008 academic year to 2017-2018 academic year, there are 1,198,494 Kindergarten students across the nation in 2017-2018 AY. Due to the learning for changing standards, those students became 665,566 fifth standard students in 2012-2013 AY. In changing number of students from the basic education primary level to the middle school level, those numbers of students declined a half, counting for 55.53 percent to learn the middle school education. In 2017-2018 AY, as there were 497,159 matriculation students, it was found 41.48 percent of students could reach the high school education from the primary level. Practically, it is visible that remaining 58.52 percent of youth face difficulties to complete the basic education. Hence, it can be reviewed that it needs to implement a comprehensive system to cover all the students in carrying out the national education promotion tasks. Every parent and teacher needs to culture the spirit that their offspring and students must have wider knowledge and education than us. As such, it will rest assure for the future of the State. All the students should obey the advice of parents. Nowadays, as the youths have completed the basic education, it needs to continue to study higher education in the future. As they are educated youths with skills to control their lives, they must have skill of self-control to become brighter lives in the future. Youths are active and fresh, with willingness to explore and show their skills. If they have control these abilities along their correct ways of life, they will become qualified, good and able offspring of the State.

Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Hsan Oo reported on matters related to outstanding Tatmadawmen, offspring of families of Tatmadawmen and those of war veterans’ families who passed the matriculation examination in 2017-2018 AY, all-round outstanding youths, the students who secured the prizes in State level article, essay, painting, cartoon and poem contests, the students who were awarded the university scholarship awards for 2018-2019 AY, and award presentation.

At the prize presentation ceremony, the Senior General presented prizes and certificates of honour to officers-in-charge from basic education high schools and Tatmadaw Education Schools under the Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare—No 2 Basic Education High School (Mingaladon) Aung San Thuriya Hla Thaung School which stood first in the best pass rate of matriculation examination in 2016-2017 AY, Basic Education High School (Shwenattaung), second and No 18 Basic Education High School (Mandalay), third,— and school heads from No 2 Tatmadaw Education School (Monywa) which stood first in the best pass rate of matriculation examination, No 11 Tatmadaw Education School (Monywa) and No 3 Tatmadaw Education School (Aungpan) respectively.

The Senior General also presented medals, prizes and certificates of honour to Maung Chan Nyein Kyaw, son of Col Khin Aung Tun, Maung Ti Khant Lin, son of Lt-Col Myo Min Tun, Maung Kaung Min Hset, son of Major Zaw Win Aung, Maung Kaung Zan Bhone, son of Major Yan Naing,

Maung Ye Htut, son of Captain Aung Moe and Maung Okkar Soe, son of Captain Daw Khin Win Mar, who won six distinctions in the matriculation examination in 2017-2018 AY, and Ma Khin Hnin Ei Phyu, daughter of Sergeant Tin Min Khaing for winning the first prize in the State level essay contest to mark the 72nd UN Day.

Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, gave medals, prizes and certificates of honour to Ma Mya Myinzu Thein, daughter of Maj-Gen Win Thein, Ma Shoon Lei Yi Phu, daughter of Maj-Gen Khun Thant Zaw Htoo, Ma Aye Myat Swe, daughter of Brig-Gen Nyunt Swe, Ma May Sabei Moe, daughter of Col Maung Maung Soe, Ma Yoon Shwe Sin Lin, daughter of Col Wai Lin Aung, Ma Khin Phyu Sin, daughter of Lt-Col Win Myint, Ma Yoon Myat Phu, daughter of Lt-Col Toe Win, Ma Ei Myint Myat Maung, daughter of Lt-Col Nay Lin Tun, Ma Yu Kalyar, daughter of Major Aung Ban, Ma Ei Thandar Cho, daughter of Captain Aye Min Cho, Ma Shoon Lei Ko, daughter of Warrant Officer Saw El Mu and Ma Khin Nadi Soe, daughter of Warrant Officer-II Soe Win who won six distinctions in the matriculation examination, and Ma Theint Yu Ya, daughter of Major Zaw Zaw for winning the second prize in the 20th State level essay and poster contest to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking respectively.

Vice-Senior General Soe Win presented medals, prizes and certificates of honour to Maung Lin Khant Phyo, son of Sergeant Nyan Lin, Maung Htoo Aung Lwin, son of Lecturer Daw Ni Ni Aye, Maung Swan Ye Htet, son of Major Lay Myat (Retd), Maung Nyan Htet Win, son of Captain Daw Nwe Nwe Min (Retd), Maung Tun Lin Aung, son of Warrant Officer Kaung Win (Retd), Maung Hein Wai Yan Sit, son of Sergeant Tin Thein (Retd), Ma Chit Thet Zun, daughter of Warrant Officer Soe Lwin, Ma Hnin Yanant Hlaing, daughter of Sergeant Soe Paing, Ma Nyo Mie Mie Lwin, daughter of Sergeant Win Oo, Ma Thandar, daughter of Lecturer Daw May Lin Htaik, Ma Lin Let Shwe Yi Ko, daughter of Unit Accountant Daw Khin Mar Wai, Ma Aye Bhone Pyae Cho, daughter of Captain Htin Zaw Win (Retd), Ma Phu Myat Thinzar Aung, daughter of Lt-Col Aung Win (Retd), Ma Lei Yati Lin, daughter of Major Thein Htay Oo (Retd), Ma Lin Thiri, daughter of Major Zaw Tun Aung (Retd), Ma Shoon Lei Phyu Sin Moe, daughter of Major Aung Zaw Moe (Retd) who won six distinctions in the matriculation examination, and Ma Chaw Sandi Htaik, daughter of Sergeant/ Clerk Myo Win Htaik (Retd) for winning the second prize in the central level article, essay, poem and poster contest in commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day 2017.

Daw Than Than Nwe, wife of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army), presented medals, prizes and certificates of honour to six-distinction winners Ma Hsu Wadi, daughter of Major Ko Ko Min (Retd), Ma Hsu Sandar Win, daughter of Major Win Lwin Oo (Retd), Ma Khin Bhone Pyae, daughter of Major Maung Maung Oo (Retd), Ma Kyi Phyu Wunna Maw, daughter of Major Wunna Maw (Retd), Ma Shwe Yi Win Khant Kyaw, daughter of Captain Tun Zaw (Retd), Ma Aung Kay Zin Hein, daughter of Captain Aung Kyaw Oo (Retd), Ma Eindra Kyaw, daughter of Captain Phone Aung Kyaw (Retd), Ma Hlwan Yeik Wai Naing, daughter of Captain Naing Tun (Retd), Ma Shwe Yi Mon, daughter of Captain Daw Aye Aye Win (Retd), Ma Ya Min Cho, daughter of Captain Khin Maung Myint (Retd), Ma Hnin Oo Khin, daughter of Captain Sein Hla Maung (Retd), Ma Khin Myat Noe Wai, daughter of Captain Wai Phyo Than (Retd), Ma Hsu Lei Wut Yi, daughter of Captain Hla Min Aung, Ma Nan Ei Thet Maung, daughter of Warrant Officer-II Myint Maung (Retd), Ma Hsu Myat Ein Si, daughter of Sergeant Mang Swan Mung (Retd), Ma Thet Htet San, daughter of Lance Corporal Aye Tun (Retd), and Maung La Min Tun, son of Lt-Col Min Naing Soe, who won bronze award in Singapore and Asia Schools Math Olympiads 2018.

Then Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe presented awards and certificates of honour to 15 five-distinction winners, his wife Daw Win Win Maw, 14 five-distinction winners; Union Minister for Defence Lt-Gen Sein Win, 15 five-distinction winners, his wife Daw Myint Myint Aye, 14 five-distinction winners; Union Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Ye Aung, 15 five-distinction winners, and his wife Daw Khaing May Kyu, 15 five-distinction winners.

Then, Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Mya Tun Oo presented awards and certificates of honour to 15 five-distinction winners, his wife Daw Thet Thet Aung, 15 five-distinction winners; Commander-in-Chief (Army) Admiral Tin Aung San, 17 four-distinction winners, his wife Daw Than Than Aye, 17 four-distinction winners; Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw, 17 four-distinction winners, and his wife Daw Aung Mar Myint, 17 four-distinction winners.

Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung of Commander-in-Chief Office (Army) gave awards and certificates of honour to 17 four-distinction winners, Lt-Gen Than Tun Oo 17 winners, Lt-Gen Aye Win 18 winners, Lt-Gen Myo Zaw Thein 18 winners, Lt-Gen Win Bo Shein 18 winners respectively.

Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Hsan Oo presented awards and certificates of honour to 32 distinction-winning soldiers, Quartermaster-General Lt-Gen Nyo Saw, 16 all-round outstanding students, Lt-Gen Aung Soe, 15 all-round outstanding students, Lt-Gen Lu Aye, 12 who won scholarships in vocational universities, and Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe, 12 who won scholarships in vocational universities, Lt-Gen Tin Maung Win, 12 who won scholarships in higher education level vocational universities, Lt-Gen Soe Htut, 12 who won scholarships in higher education level vocational universities, Lt-Gen Maung Maung Aye, 12 who won scholarships in higher education level vocational universities, Lt-Gen Thein Htay, 12 who won scholarships in higher education level vocational universities, and Lt-Gen Min Naing, 20 who won scholarships in higher education level vocational universities. On behalf of outstanding students and servicemen, Ma Hsu Sandar Win spoke words of thanks after prize-presentation ceremony. The Senior General and party then posed for documentary photos together with outstanding students.

Then, refreshments were hosted to attendees, award-winning soldiers and students, parents and teachers, during which Myawady Band entertained with songs in honour of youth. After the performance, the Senior General and party cordially greeted award-winning soldiers and students and parents.

Gold medals, awards and certificates of honour were presented to three Tatmadaw basic education high schools and three Tatmadaw education schools which recorded highest pass rate in 2017-2018 academic year, and 32 soldiers which won one and two distinctions, 50 six-distinction winners, 119 five-distinction winners, 156 four-distinction winners, who are children of active and retired service personnel, and civilian staff appointed in place of military personnel; 34 national-level all-round outstanding students, four who won awards in state-level article and essay contests; and 84 children of active and retired service personnel, who won scholarships in higher education vocational universities, totaling 479. And with cash contributions from donors, Ks-60,000 was presented each for 1,138 one-distinction winners and 305 two-distinction winners, totaling 1,443, as well as gold medals for 221 three-distinction winners from families of active and retired service personnel who could not attend the ceremony.

Prize-presentation to distinction-winning matriculated students of Tatmadaw families has been held since 2011-2012, and now is the seventh time. Gold medals and cash awards were awarded to 273 six-distinction winners, 555 five-distinction winners, 913 four-distinction winners, 1,064 three-distinction winners, 1,356 two-distinction winners and 4,710 one-distinction winners. As of 2014-2015 academic year, scholarships for higher education vocational universities were awarded, and 72 were awarded in 2014, 86 in 2015, 82 in 2016, and 81 in 2017, and 84 this year, totalling 405 are provided with monthly stipends. Foreign trips have been arranged for outstanding soldiers and all-round outstanding youths since 2013, and foreign trips will also be arranged this year.

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