The Coup’s Devastating Effects on Myanmar’s Higher Education
Introduction
Education contributes significantly to a country’s socioeconomic development, and rapid expansions of educational opportunities can actively foster the development of third-world countries. Over the period of more than 50 years of military control, Myanmar’s education system became extremely centralized, with a loss of academic independence, limits on engaging in political activities, and several other barriers to receiving a decent education. Myanmar’s education sector had some growth potential during the NLD government’s rule, and it was also included in the government’s reform scheme. Significantly, amending the national education law and policy, reforming the entire education system, and integrating MOUs with international universities and institutions to support Myanmar education are the most significant modifications and advancements in the higher education sector; however, it appeared that some limitations on decision making as a result of the “command and control” system, and forming student unions, academic freedom, and freedom of speech have turned into an important drawback of higher education. However, General Min Aung Hlaing’s coup attempts ruined this opportunity for advancement in higher education, and the post-coup period is one of the most disastrous periods in Myanmar’s higher education.
The Emergence of Interim Education Councils
During the coup period, at least 90% of university teachers and students participated in the Civil Disobedience Moment (CDM) and did not attend classes in opposition to the military’s coup attempt, even though students’ education was halted for nearly six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, with this turmoil in politics, there was no option of pursuing an official university education. A few months after the coup, various interim councils and organizations began assisting university students’ learning processes with the help of CDM teachers, researchers from both international and local universities, and the NUG government.
In Myanmar’s higher education sectors after the coup, two public education actors emerged: SAC-controlled education and interim education. Under the SAC-controlled education system, it has continued to open universities and colleges with the support of Non-CDMers and newly hired teachers. Myanmar Nway-Oo University was created in October 2020 for the category of interim education by collaborating with universities’ interim councils across the country. In the aftermath of the coup, independent universities, institutes, and organizations such as Spring University Myanmar, Federal Law School, and Burma Academy were established to provide financial and educational support for CDM teachers and students.
National Unity Government’s Higher Education
NUG’s Ministry of Education was founded in April 2021 to assist boycotted students in continuing their education via online. Myanmar Nway Oo University (MONU), as a main body of NUG, has been supplying three major categories:
(1) Formal Courses
(2) Core Curriculum Course and
(3) Short Courses
It has been providing classes related to going forward formal university education under the label of formal courses, which additionally offers opportunities for both day and distance education. Core curriculum courses are introductory courses that allow students who passed the matriculation exam after the coup and refused to join the military’s education to reflect their level of interest in several subjects before enrolling in a university. The short courses are intended to assist CDMers and the public in broadening their knowledge in specific themes and sectors.
MNOU used Moodle as a learning platform to reduce safety concerns and to make use of that platform as an accessible and flexible platform for learners, as well as featuring an effective interactive system. However, since it is an online platform, it is inaccessible to learners who are in places with lacking internet and cannot afford to buy electronic gadgets. As MNOU is an online-based university, it could mitigate some potential risks and improve the privacy of beneficiaries and staff members, but there are also unresolved constraints such as limitations on deliverable subjects, limited student numbers, and the challenges of online learning. In fact, The NUG’s higher education system is still in its nascent stages and requires tremendous development and changes to provide sufficient educational opportunities and equal changes for those who believe in NUG’s education.
Unresolved Issues in Myanmar Interim Education After the Coup
Despite the fact that the NUG administration has been implementing its higher education plan through interim education providers in order to provide needed education to everyone who is unwilling to continue SAC’s education scheme, there are numerous obstacles that remain to be resolved.
The most difficult trigger for both education providers and students pursuing interim education is a lack of accreditation by international universities or institutes. As a result, even if students accomplish the interim education provided by these providers, it is extremely difficult for them to proceed with their university studies. There are certain collaborations and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with international universities to deliver quality education online; most of them have just agreed to provide educational support and materials. Thus, it is still challenging to earn a certificate, diploma, or degree from an endorsed foreign university, while a few interim organizations have provided certain accredited certificates after completing their courses. To enroll in a program at a foreign university, students must first pass the GED exam. As a direct consequence of the high cost of the GED exam and tuition costs, students from middle- and lower-income households are still losing opportunities for higher education.
Furthermore, since most interim education providers were formed by CDMers, student union officials, and activists, security considerations have been a top priority for all of them. As a result, all members used pseudonyms and interacted using reliable communication channels. Conversely, the military has been detaining these teachers to maintain its so-called “high-quality education” system. On July 20, 2022, the founder and two other members of the Kaung For You federal private school were detained in Aung Ban, Southern Shan State, and approximately 20 additional members of the organization were imprisoned. In addition, the founder of Aung Myay Thar Zan Federal School and 14 other members have been jailed for unlawfully conducting lectures and supporting NUG’s education system, and the risk level for those implementing interim education has skyrocketed. Therefore, in order to lessen the likelihood of potential risks, neither students nor teachers were permitted to use real-time video in the context of online instruction, and the question of how best to maximize student’s capacity for learning by means of online mediums remains unanswered.
Students who live in areas with limited or no access to the internet are still unable to pursue their education as an immediate outcome of the implementation of interim education using online. The military government’s decision to increase the internet charge and require a decant of modernized electronic devices to access an online educational platform are also significant obstacles to those who want to improve their education. As a shadow government, NUG is attempting to address these issues. But It is still unable to coordinate the current interim education providers to give the necessary education to students who have invested in their education for this revolution.