Rakhine State govt awards K200 million to top matriculation exam scorers

Rakhine State govt awards K200 million to top matriculation exam scorers
by -
San Maung Than/ Narinjara News

Rakhine students who passed their matriculation exam with top marks have been congratulated with a cash windfall, courtesy of the Rakhine (Arakan) State government.

This past weekend, the government doled out K200 million to students who received distinctions on their exam. The July 16 ceremony at the U Ottama Hall in Sittwe recognized 914 Rakhine students.

“Although Rakhine State ranks among the bottom in Myanmar with a pass rate of only 17 percent, a total of 914 [Rakhine] students received distinctions out of the state’s 6,000 students who passed the exam. There were 26 students who received six distinctions, and 26 who received five distinctions. All of them deserved it,” said U Chan Thar, Rakhine State’s Minister of Social Affairs.

The honorary sum was divided among students in a tiered system, depending on how many distinctions they earned: Students with six distinctions received K2 million each, while those with five distinctions received K1.5 million each, those with four distinctions received K800,000, those with three distinctions received K400,000, those with two distinctions received K100,000 and those with one distinction received K50,000.

“Last year, we gave out K100 million but this year we [awarded] K200 million to the outstanding [students] who passed the 2017 matriculation exam,” U Nyi Pu, the Rakhine State Chief Minister, said during the award ceremony, which was attended by around 800 people.

A student who received the maximum of six distinctions on her matriculation exam said the funds provided by the government will help her continue her studies.

“I want to express my gratitude to the state’s chief minister and to the other ministers for recognizing our efforts and giving us a great amount of money at a grand ceremony. The K2 million award will be very helpful for my plan to continue my education,” said Ma Phyo Wai Khin, who ranked first in Rakhine State. The Maungdaw native said she plans on studying medicine and becoming a doctor.

Out of the 706,088 students across Myanmar who took the matriculation exam in the 2016-2017 academic year 242,736 students passed, for a pass rate of 33.89 percent. The high stakes exam has been criticized in the past by some educators and education reform advisers for focusing too much on rote memorization of textbooks, rather than prioritizing critical thinking skills, for instance.

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