The first Karenni medical college will be opened soon to provide medical education for young people in Karenni State who are deprived of educational opportunities, Doctor Myo Khant Ko Ko, chairman of the Karenni Medical College Implementation Committee said.
"We started our efforts to help young people who are truly passionate about medicine and have the skills to become doctors. As chairman of the committee, I felt that the Doctors' Society of Karenni (DSK) should also be involved, so we invited them to join us. Scholars and experts from home and abroad, along with leaders from religious, political, and administrative sectors, and community elders from Karenni State, also contributed to the creation of the Karenni Medical College Implementation Committee”, he stated.
Dr. Myo Khant Ko Ko mentioned that this committee was established in March 2023 with the goal of opening a medical college in Karenni State
In the early days of peaceful resistance to the 2021 coup, thousands of medical staff, doctors and nurses defied the Junta and became a pillars of the CDM movement, that crippled the human resources of the new regime’s stranglehold over the education system.
Doctor Myo Khant Ko Ko further clarified that only individuals actively involved in resistance efforts and the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), will be eligible for enrollment.Those who completed high school from institutions under the Junta, as well as non-CDM employees, will not be considered for admission.
To be admitted to the medical college, applicants had to take an entrance exam, and 40 students were selected for admission. Dr. Myo Khant Ko Ko revealed that the entrance exam took place over three days, from May 9 -11.The college program spans a total of 6 years, with graduates committing to serve in Karenni State for 3 years upon completion.
Throughout the establishment stages of the college, international experts provided assistance and engaged in discussions, while for teaching programs, both local and foreign doctors agreed to collaborate in lecturing.
The curriculum is based on the New Integrative Curriculum, the most advanced curriculum currently utilized in England, supported by input from a doctor who attended a medical university there.The medical college will exclusively admit students aged between 17 and 30.
Dr. Myo Khant Ko Ko emphasized that Karenni Medical College aims to be a self-reliant educational institution, operating under its own governance.
"Our college will be registered with the Ministry of Education of the Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC), but we have already signed an agreement ensuring that the college will operate autonomously under federal principles”, he elaborated.
