15 December 2009: The Burmese military junta has postponed the final board examinations for the academic year 2009. It will now be held in February or March 2010 instead of December 2009. Speculations are rife that it has to do with the general elections next year.

The official announcement came in the first week of December through a circular to each school. The letter said that primary to standard IX students have to sit for their board examinations in February and standard X in March 2010. “There will be plenty of time to study for the students,” said a teacher in Falam town.

The regime is expected to hold general elections in March 2010 so school examinations were to be concluded this month. However, some problems may have cropped up, said a government employee.

The students are disappointed because the examinations have been postponed as they were prepared to sit for it. In June when the government officially announced the examinations will be held in December, they had began preparations.

A student in Kalemyo had studied day and night for the December examinations. He had also taken tuitions spending lots of time, energy and money. Now he is terribly frustrated and the announcement has affected his health and mind.

Some local parents believe that the military regime will not hold general elections in 2010 as it is not confident about the candidates. One reason why it had had postponed the school examinations. – Khonumthung News