Despite a high value placed on education in Burmese culture, the state education system has long been in decline, suffering from a lack of critical resources and skills. The government has consistently failed to provide the necessary funds and adequate support for this vital sector. The effects of this include poor quality of staff and a lack of funding and motivation for teachers. It produces a generation of students who lack the necessary practical and analytical skills to tackle Burma’s immediate humanitarian crisis and the chronic political, social and economic woes that have blighted the country for two generations.
Throughout the education system in Burma, there is a prevailing culture of rote-learning which discourages the development of analytical thinking. There is little or no emphasis on critical thinking: understanding the information being committed to memory and being able to practically apply it. Most curricula and learning materials are out of date and have little practical application to the current context. Furthermore, students from ethinc states are at times forced to learn in Burmese, a form of ‘Burmanization:’ a brainwashing tactic enforced by the government in the hope that children will forget their own culture and language. Local teachers who volunteer to teach students in their native language outside of the regular school day are often harassed and arrested.
Higher education is often perceived as a potential threat by the authorities who exert strict control over educational institutions. Universities are kept on a particularly tight leash. Campuses are under close surveillance and universities have been forced to close for periods of up to four years. The government has also prioritized the expansion of distance education programs, where students spend only a few days a year on campus.Across all levels of education enrollment and attendance rates are extremely low. According to UNESCO figures, the average adult in Burma has received only 2.8 years of schooling and only 36.5% of eligible students enroll in secondary education. This is primarily due to the expensive cost of schooling, including supplementary items, and limited access to education.
A major problem in identifying solutions is the lack of data available, further reducing the Ministry of Education’s ability to manage its responsibilities. UNESCO reports indicate Burma has spent 1.3% of its GDP on education, compared with governments in North America and Western Europe investing 5.6% and counties in East Asia and the Pacific spending an average of 2.8%. Corruption is also common throughout the state education system, good exam results can be acquired with money and influence.
It is important to ensure the next generation of students from Burma have access to quality education so that they are able to contribute to the development of their communities and the fight for genuine democracy.