In an unusual move the Burmese military junta has issued instructions for holding the first-half yearly examinations of the 2009-2010 academic year for all students from primary to high school level before December this year, said sources in schools.
The written order, which came early this month from the Mandalay-based Directorate of Basic Education-Upper Burma (DBE-UB) under the Ministry of Education on September 8, was also circulated, to school at all levels in Burma's northern Kachin State, said local school teachers.
The DBE-UB had never released such an order to schools for the first-half yearly examinations in the country, according to sources in schools.
Students of No. 5 High School in Tatkone in Myitkyina, Burma's Northern Kachin State.
Students of No. 5 High School in Tatkone in Myitkyina, Burma's Northern Kachin State.
The order said the examination time schedule from the primary to grade VIII will be in October whereas the grade IX and X tests will be held in November, said local school teachers.
In the past time, the grade X first-semester examinations were held in February before the final examinations also called the University Entrance Exam in March, said school teachers in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.
Normally, the final examinations for all students under grade IX were held in February in the whole country, the teachers added.
A school teacher who received the written order told KNG that the order mentioned that "The government wants to award outstanding students on January 3, 2010, at the annual ceremony of each school for their outstanding students in Myitkyina on that day".
The teachers in Myitkyina had thought that this examination may be the final one as the ruling junta is preparing for the general elections next year. However, this was not mentioned in the order.
Following the order, teachers have to teach the entire year’s syllabus to the students before the final examinations, said local school teachers.
Now, the teachers are exasperated trying to complete the syllabus while students are worried because they have to sit for the examinations without having understood the entire syllabus, said students in Myitkyina.
The students and their parents in Bhamo (Manmaw in Kachin) are yet unaware about the junta's announcement about early examinations.
At the same time, examinations for day students in all specializations are being held in Myitkyina University since last week under tight security by policemen and reserved firefighters, said invigilators.
Currently, people in Kachin State are anxious about civil war resuming between the Burmese junta and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) given that it is under tremendous pressure by the junta to transform its armed wing to the Burmese Army-controlled Border Guard Force (BGF) which it has rejected.
