Posted in Legislative Research on Jan 25, 2019

Objectives set out in the Basic Education Bill are “to enable all school-age children to to complete the basic education”, “to provide opportunities for technical and vocational education and training”, “to create opportunities for the pursuit of higher education” and to ensure individuals and communities embrace peace, diversity and respect and equality.

The bill looks to promote the right to education through formal and non-formal education and lifelong education. It is purported to create a quality assurance system regarding the basic education. It also has clauses aiming at the decentralization of the basic education system to state/region governments.

The Ministry of Education will form the Basic Education Council with the Union Minister for Education, the director-general of the Department of Basic Education, representatives from relevant ministries, Social Ministers of the Region/State governments, members of the Nay Pyi Taw Council and the Leading Body of the Self-Administered Zones and Division, educational experts, representatives from civil society organizations and suitable persons. The council will take up the coordination role in managing the schools. The council will classify the schools based on recommendations of the National Education Standards and Quality Assurance Evaluation Committee and help the education ministry set the qualifications of teachers. According to the bill draft, the Basic Education Council will work with the National Education Standards and Quality Assurance Evaluation Committee for the establishment of basic education quality assurance system.

The education ministry of Education will form the Basic Education Curriculum and Textbook Committee with the director-general of the Department of Educational Research, Planning and Training, the directors of the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Myanmar Examination, representatives from the departments under and relevant ministries, subject-wise experts, representatives from teachers’ associations, curriculum development experts and ethnic language experts. The committee can form subject-wise or regional subcommittees.

The education ministry will have to define roles and responsibilities different level of education management and decentralize the administration to different levels of education committees. Formation of region/state/district/township-level Education Committees will require the approval and participation of the Region/State governments. With the aim of advising, supporting and supervising the development of the quality of school, school administration committees may be formed with teachers, parents and local people.