Mon state schools that meet certain academic standards set by Burmese government officials will receive 1,000,000 kyat per school to supplement costs.  The practice of awarding Mon state schools with money is relatively new, having only begun last year.

Mon Sate Schools that are set to receive the 1,000,000 Kyat have had to meet specific standards: 50% of the 10th standard classes pass their exams, and the number of graduating 10th standard must at least be 100.   The Burmese government commander of the Southeast Command (SEC), Major General Thet Naing Win, will give the monetary awards.  

 “Maj Gen Thet Naing Win will award every school in which 50% [of 10th standard] pass, and more than 100. However if the school passes with 50% but the number of students who pass is less then 100 will get less money [about 500,000],“ said a head master of a high school that had received a 1,000,000 kyat last year.  

The awarded money goes to the headmaster to use for school activities, buying materials (books, pens, chairs, etc.) and supporting students.  Additionally, part of the money goes to supplement the salary of the headmaster, teachers and even a small portion to the academically successful students. Teacher salary’s notoriously low; approximately 30,000 kyat a month, while a headmaster might get 80,000 kyat a month.  As a result teachers must supplement their salaries anyway they can, including tutoring students after school, or selling lunches to students at school.

In Mon State about 96 high schools took the exam and about 16 schools met the criteria, with at least 50%, and 100 of its 10th standard students passing. 13 high schools had at least 50% of its 10th standard class graduating, but those students were less then 100 in number.

Every time the high school headmasters attend a regional meeting, the township education departments advise them on how to train the 10th standard students to pass with a high parentage, explained a school headmaster.

The results of the exams for 10th standard students were published on June 7th, from which Mon state  had the highest percentage  of passing students in the 2008-2009 academic year in the whole of Burma. Mudon Township is the highest scoring township in Mon State, and Thagun-Taing high school from Mudon passed the highest percentage of students in Mon State.

Last year Mon state came in 2nd, Tenasserim division placed 1st, and Yangoon was ranked 3rd; In 2007 Mon state also won, coming in 1st place in the whole country.

According to an article published by Khitpying news on July 10th, Major-General Ohn Myint gave a speech to attempt to organize people in Ye township for the coming 2010 election.  In it he announced that while the duration of the academic year is normally 10 months from June to March, for the academic year for 2009-2010 will be shortened to 7 months because of the 2010 election.