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SCMP-Burma; Efforts to revive educa



Subject: SCMP-Burma; Efforts to revive education 'feeble' 

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South China Morning Post=20
Thursday, January 13, 2000
 BURMA=20

Efforts to revive education 'feeble'=20

WILLIAM BARNES in Bangkok=20

The reopening of Burma's big universities appears unlikely to do more =
than partially resolve the dire education vacuum, informed observers =
said yesterday.=20
Thirty core universities were shut in late 1996 after a round of student =
protests rattled a military regime that has kept open defiance in check =
for at least 10 years.=20

Rather than risk simply opening even the original bruised colleges, the =
regime is creating "sanitised" campuses offering degrees stripped of any =
subjects that might touch on politics or current affairs.=20

Such moves betrayed a carelessness that promised, at best, a feeble =
education and, at worst, sham degrees, one foreign expert said.=20

Critics of the regime have consistently claimed that the ruling generals =
place an unusually low priority on education.=20

Most universities have been open for less than three years since =
nation-wide protests erupted in 1988 - prompting expressions of alarm =
from even relatively friendly countries like Japan.=20

Yet military and medical colleges did not close and post-graduate study =
appears to have been carried on in most institutes. A few classes, =
especially voluntary evening classes, appear to have been held in all =
colleges.=20

The Government has also offered distance learning courses and - in 1998 =
- quickie degrees after a week or so of cramming.=20

The partial return of students to the Rangoon Technology University - a =
traditional hotbed of student activism - appears likely to be the =
pattern for the rest of the country.=20

Classes for third- and fourth-year students in "safe" subjects like =
engineering restarted a fortnight ago, but at a new campus about 30 =
minutes drive from the capital.=20

Students have been made to sign papers promising not to engage in any =
political activity and warned sharply that any political demonstrations =
will see the college doors slammed shut again.=20

The Government has said that first- and second-year students will be =
permitted to return in May.=20

New college-age students are being forced to attend two-year engineering =
diploma courses, perhaps to weed out troublemakers, at Government =
Technical Colleges before going on to other institutions.=20


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<DIV><FONT color=3D#800000 face=3DArial size=3D4><STRONG>South China =
Morning Post=20
</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3DHelvetica,Arial =
size=3D2>Thursday, January=20
13, 2000</FONT><BR>&nbsp;<FONT color=3D#003300 face=3DHelvetica,Arial=20
size=3D2><B>BURMA</B></FONT> </DIV>
<P>
<DIV align=3Dleft><!--headline--><FONT color=3D#800000><FONT =
size=3D4><B>Efforts to=20
revive education 'feeble'</B> </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<CENTER><!--ArticleEnd--></CENTER>
<P><!--ArticleStart--><!--byline--><FONT face=3DHelvetica,Arial =
size=3D2><B>WILLIAM=20
BARNES in Bangkok</B></FONT> <!--article-->
<DIV>The reopening of Burma's big universities appears unlikely to do =
more than=20
partially resolve the dire education vacuum, informed observers said =
yesterday.=20
</DIV>
<P>Thirty core universities were shut in late 1996 after a round of =
student=20
protests rattled a military regime that has kept open defiance in check =
for at=20
least 10 years.=20
<P>Rather than risk simply opening even the original bruised colleges, =
the=20
regime is creating "sanitised" campuses offering degrees stripped of any =

subjects that might touch on politics or current affairs.=20
<P>Such moves betrayed a carelessness that promised, at best, a feeble =
education=20
and, at worst, sham degrees, one foreign expert said.=20
<P>Critics of the regime have consistently claimed that the ruling =
generals=20
place an unusually low priority on education.=20
<P>Most universities have been open for less than three years since =
nation-wide=20
protests erupted in 1988 - prompting expressions of alarm from even =
relatively=20
friendly countries like Japan.=20
<P>Yet military and medical colleges did not close and post-graduate =
study=20
appears to have been carried on in most institutes. A few classes, =
especially=20
voluntary evening classes, appear to have been held in all colleges.=20
<P>The Government has also offered distance learning courses and - in =
1998 -=20
quickie degrees after a week or so of cramming.=20
<P>The partial return of students to the Rangoon Technology University - =
a=20
traditional hotbed of student activism - appears likely to be the =
pattern for=20
the rest of the country.=20
<P>Classes for third- and fourth-year students in "safe" subjects like=20
engineering restarted a fortnight ago, but at a new campus about 30 =
minutes=20
drive from the capital.=20
<P>Students have been made to sign papers promising not to engage in any =

political activity and warned sharply that any political demonstrations =
will see=20
the college doors slammed shut again.=20
<P>The Government has said that first- and second-year students will be=20
permitted to return in May.=20
<P>New college-age students are being forced to attend two-year =
engineering=20
diploma courses, perhaps to weed out troublemakers, at Government =
Technical=20
Colleges before going on to other institutions.=20
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