Performances in One-Year Period 2016-2017 FY by Printing and Publishing Department

March 9, 2017

The Printing and Publishing Department under the Ministry of Information, has been performing the tasks of printing works of literary development and the State Gazettes, readers for basic education schools which are commissioned by the Ministry of Education, works commissioned by governmental departments and private enterprises, and ballots commissioned by Union Election Commission.

Paper-reading events

PPD under the Ministry of Information, had arranged to hold paper-reading events and bookfair festivals with a view to developing Myanmar literature, increasing printing and publishing literary works and making readers more interested in printed media, holding paper-reading of political literature and monsoon book fair festival for 3 days from 29/7/2016 to 31/7/2016 at the office of Printing and Publishing Department on Theinbyu Street. At paper-reading session, 18 papers on political literature were read by writers, with those writing papers replying to the questions raised by interested persons present at the reading session. Collection of the 18 papers read by writers, questions raised by the audience and answers replied by the paper-writers were compiled into books for publication. The first volume contains 485 pages and the second 515 pages.

Encouragement to Myanmar Literature

With a view to developing Myanmar Literature, encouraging writing Myanmar literary works, making neo-writers emerge, Printing and Publishing Department under the Ministry of Information has been celebrating ceremonies for presenting lifelong national literary award and national literary award as national level, Sarpay Beikman manuscript award annually. Ceremony for presenting 2015 lifetime national literary award, national literary award and Sarpay Beikman Manuscript Award on 30 November 2016, at the national theatre on Myoma Kyaung Street in Yangon.

In recognition of writers’ outstanding efforts for the development of Myanmar literature, the State awards lifelong national literary awards annually, selecting Sayargyi U Win Mon (Tekkatho Win Mon) and Sayargyi U Tin Kha (Tekkatho Tin Kha) as 2015 lifelong national literary award winners, whom the Board presented 25 lakh each.

In presenting national literary awards, out of the publications published in a calendar year, books from the 16 kinds of categories eligible for prescribed standards are firstly selected and from them, the best is chosen as the prize. Out of 16 subjects, 5 were not eligible for being awarded and left out in the year 2015. So, 11 awards for 11 categories were presented for the year 2015 with 15 lakh each.

For the Sarpay Beikman Manuscript Award, manuscripts are invited for 13 categories. For the year 2015, one was left out for being under standardized level. So, for 12 categories, 33 winners were selected and 7 lakh for first prize, 5 lakhs kyats for second prize and 3 lakh for third prize each.

2nd time paper reading session was co-held together with winter season book-fair festival for 4 days, from 1/12/2016 to 4/12/2016 on Theinbyu Street, Yangon, at the office of Printing and Publishing Department. 14 papers on contemporary history were read. Over 200 book-shops had varieties of books at special prices. And, like the first time, 2 volumes of contemporary history papers were published.

Monsoon Book Fair Festival

Monsoon Book Fair Festival was co-held together with paper-reading on political literature at the office of Printing and Publishing Department on Theinbyu Street. More than 170 bookstalls sold variety of books on knowledge and aesthetic literature at special rates, attracting many buyers.

With the aim of spreading more books on knowledge and aesthetic literature among people and developing Myanmar literature, a new Sarpay Beikman selling center (Extension) was opened, in annexation to the Sarpay Beikman Building, selling books published by Sarpay Beikman Press as well as books published by privately-owned press houses.

Now, attractions of comfortable space and interior decoration have been arranged for buyers to find books through computer system.

Literary activities

Printing and Publishing Department has made literary activities as well. Week-end Yangon Books Street was opened on 7/1/2017 at the platforms of Anawrahta Road. It sells books every Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm. It has been arranged to open Week-end Book Street till 2017 April.

For the by-election of 2017, ballets commissioned by Union Election Commission, amounting to 2,472,600 were published.

Printing and Publishing Department has managed to timely publish readers of high quality for basic education schools commissioned by the Ministry of Education.

For 2017-2018 academic year, 21 subjects for the middle school levels, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, amounting to 17.109 million copies were targeted to be published in 6 printing houses in Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay not later than 30/3/2017.

PPD of the Ministry of Information has arranged to speed up its activities further.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar