Open Our Schools, Enlighten Our Future
"Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the sub-
jects of it. The history of liberty is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is history
of limitations of governmental power, not the increase of it." (Nadia Boulanger)
90 per cent of the universities and colleges in Burma have been closed since 1988.
Some of them were opened on and off in last twelve years. Students, a country's future
leaders are yearning for education under the military junta known as State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) in Burma. From 1988 until now, the schools and universi-
ties of Burma have been opened for only thirty months.
Since the bloody military coup in 1988, the junta has been systematically ruining the
education system of Burma. Students are the most effected class in the country because
not only have they been denied of their education, but they also have been denied of
fundamental rights such as freedom of speech and expression.
The military main objective has been to prolong its power. Militarisation has been top
priority for the SPDC instead of providing education for the population. Students have
always been viewed as a threat to the military regime and are considered the most vo-
cal group of opposition. Therefore, the military is sacrificing the youth's future in order
to prolong its tyrannical reign. Since the closure of universities, colleges and schools,
the regime has opened several military institutes in order to produce well-qualified and
loyal personnel. By opening these facilities, the military has admitted the poor state of
the educational situation. These institutes were prioritised, well equipped and despite
the closure of other schools, they have remained opened. Due to these circumstances,
there have been only two options for Burma's youth: either join the army and receive
education or stay idle with no future. Although small numbers of colleges were reopened
in 1998-99, students are forced to attend the classes under the closed surveillance by
the Military Intelligence. All students had to sign the agreement in which they promised
that they would not involve in any political activities or would be expelled.
Educational rights of students are as crucial to the young's existence as air is to the
breathing lung. In Burma, the educational system has been deteriorating beyond com-
prehension that several generations have been lost. From 1988 until now, the schools of
Burma have been opened for only a mere thirty months. The closures of schools have
been a systematic objective of the military to deprive the youth of knowledge thereby
sealing the fate of the students' future.
It is obvious that the Burmese Education System has been deteriorating over the years.
However, there is no room in the military's agenda to improve the educational situation
because all the universities are closed. If we were to implement any improvements or
change whatsoever, the first step essentially needed would be to open our schools. Sev-
eral generations have been lost under this brutal military regime, please don't let an-
other generation suffer the atrocities anymore. Join us in taking back our educational
rights because we need to enlighten our future by opening our schools.
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Campaign Committee for Open School - Statement 1/2000
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