A pressure group for educational reform have sent a letter on August 22 to the government and parliament demanding a percentage of classes taught in ethnic minorities communities be taught in the language of that community.
Dr Thein Lwin, chairman of the National Network for Educational Reform told Mizzima on August 21 that the organisation would send letters in both Myanmar and English to the President, the Ministry of Education, both Hluttaws and UNESCO, the United Nations’ culture and education body that is assisting the Ministry of Education in formulating a new curriculum in Myanmar.
“Each school should have the right to choose the appropriate language to teach in its community,” said Dr Thein Lwin.
Dr Thein Lwin said the motivation behind their demands was to increase attendance at school in areas with a concentrated population of Myanmar’s ethnic minorities.
He said his organisation believe if children have the opportunity to begin their schooling in their mother tongue then this will improve the children’s confidence and ability.
He added they suggest that at nursery level, classes be solely in a child’s mother tongue before gradually reducing the figure to 60 per cent mother tongue and 40 per cent Myanmar and English for teaching at primary school.
