High intellectual power and vast knowledge of people and Union Spirit, vital for proper emergence of new nation National Education Promotion (Higher Education Sector) Symposium held

YANGON, 3 May—The National Education Promotion (Higher Education Sector) Symposium for 2005 was held at the Diamond Jubilee Hall on Pyay Road here at 2 pm today with an address by Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein.

Also present on the occasion were Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Myint Swe, ministers, the Chairman of Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the Yangon Mayor, deputy ministers, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of department, directors-general of departments under the Ministry of Education, rectors, deputy directors-general, pro-rectors, principals, deputy principals, professors and guests.

In his address, the Chairman of MEC said that the SPDC, enlisting the strength of the entire national people, has been making relentless efforts for the nation to keep abreast of the world community.

In this regard, it has laid down and is implementing the 12 political, economic and social objectives to preserve and promote the national characteristics and the essence of the Union bestowed on the nation since the past successive eras.

To keep pace with changes and developments of the world, systematic steps are being taken for laying down short-term and long-term projects including economic, education and health development projects based on prevailing situation of the nation, historical trends of the past and national objectives of the future.

Although there can be changes in policies in the projects covering up to a time span of 30 years, the most effective means and work programmes are to be applied in accord with the times since they are to be implemented systematically according to changes and developments of science and technology.

Therefore, discussion and reviewing of scholars and officials of the education sector at the conference is not only a need but also a fruitful and meaningful task.

Nowadays, education is the main force in the process of national development. Hence, the government has laid down the national objective which calls for uplift of education standards of the entire nation that includes in the four social objectives for development of the education sector.

In his guidance at the Annual General Meeting of the Union Solidarity and Development Association held in November 2004, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe said that prevalence of peace and tranquillity in the nation, strong national economy and higher education standards of the entire nation are indispensable in building a democratic nation.

The successful implementation of the national education promotion programmes is imperative in the process of building a peaceful, modern, developed and democratic nation. With this concept, scholars and officials of the education sector with the national outlook are to make strenuous efforts in this regard.

Nowadays, integrated and well-coordinated efforts are being made in a practical and effective way for successful implementation of the first five-year plan of the 30-year national education promotion programme.

In this connection, the higher education sector is striving in accord with its objectives while development programmes capable of creating community development are being launched in different regions of universities and colleges.

More universities and colleges, which are a prerequisite for human resource development, were opened and upgraded in all parts of the nation. Hence, the number of those higher institutions has increased from 32 in 1988 to 156 up to date.

In the higher education sector, more subjects are being introduced through the cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary means in addition to its conventional subjects.

Therefore, the number of teaching programmes has increased from 79—45 for pre-graduates and 34 for post-graduates in 1988 to 192—84 for pre-graduates and 108 for post-graduates so far.

Human resources development centres were opened in different regions of universities and colleges for development of human resources and community development. At present, altogether 173 teaching programmes on master degree, bachelor degree and diploma are being introduced at those centres.

In relation to the higher education sector, including 173 teaching programmes of the Centre for Development of Human Resources, the number of teaching programmes has mounted to 365, up from 79 in 1988.

The Ministry of Education conducts the doctorate course for professors, associate professors and experienced scholars in addition to the doctorate course (regular). Now, 2,728 students are attending and 298 students have completed the regular doctorate course, and 421 students are attending and 13 persons have completed the doctorate course for experienced scholars.

The ministry launched the e-Education system in 2001, and now it has opened 622 e-Education learning centres across the nation.

With respect to the progress of the education sector, the ministry has been capable of systematically implementing the objectives for the nation’s education standard to be on a per with international level, and speedy production of qualified human resources.

Now is a time when the entire national people are making combined efforts for all-round development of the nation, and the government has recognized the vitality of the science and technology sector and the role of the scholars, while making all-out efforts with national determination for promotion of the education sector.

Only if the national people are trained and nurtured starting from today to be well versed in modern science and technology, will they be capable of discharging nation-building tasks and national defence duties in future. The government’s drive for better education sector will contribute towards national development and perpetual existence of the nation.

For the time being, the government is translating the State’s seven-point Road Map into reality for ensuring smooth transition to a peaceful, modern and developed discipline-flourishing democratic nation, and perpetual existence of the nation as a consolidated Union.

According to the political programme, there still remain tasks for successful completion of the National Convention, approving of the State Constitution through a referendum, and holding of free and fair elections in accord with the State Constitution.

As the people will have to take part in the voting, high intellectual power and vast knowledge of the people and Union Spirit is the fundamental factor for proper emergence of a new nation that conforms with prevailing situations and historic evidences.

The Secretary-1 called on the scholars and teachers to do their utmost with national awareness and national outlook so as to accomplish the national education promotion plan, adhering to the concept that only when the national education promotion drive, a national objective adopted by the State, has been put into reality, will it guarantee the brighter future and perpetual existence of the motherland.

In conclusion, the Secretary-1 urged responsible persons in the education field to carry out tasks with a sense of duty by doing their bit for successful implementation of the programmes of the 30-year national education promotion plan; to play an active role in the tasks for enabling the nation to catch up with the international community and to further produce qualified human resources, and to ensure successful completion of the State’s seven-point Road Map.

After the meeting, the Secretary-1 cordially greeted the attendees.

Next, the Secretary-1 and party viewed the research papers of Mawlamyine, Myitkyina, and Taunggyi Universities displayed at the seminar.

Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmar.com/nlm/
 

FM leaves for Japan

YANGON, 3 May— A Myanmar delegation led by Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win left here this afternoon to attend the 7th Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers Meeting to be held in Kyoto, Japan from 5 to 7 May.

The delegation was seen off at the airport by Minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Maung Oo, Minister for Education U Than Aung, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Maung Myint, Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Nobutake Odano and officials of the Japanese embassy and MOFA.

Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmar.com/nlm/
 

Philippines forest delegation arrives

YANGON, 3 May— At the invitation of Minister for Forestry Brig-Gen Thein Aung, a 19-member delegation led by Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines Mr Michael T Defensor arrived here this afternoon. The delegation was welcomed at the airport by Minister for Forestry Brig-Gen Thein Aung.

The guests will meet officials of the Ministry of Forestry and National Commission for Environment Conservation, Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Myanmar Forest Products and Timber Merchants Association and discuss matters on bilateral cooperation between Myanmar and the Philippines.

Source: "The New Light Of Myanmar", www.myanmar.com/nlm/

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