2nd Pyithu Hluttaw 6th regular session holds its 5th day meeting

 October 26, 2017

The 2nd Pyithu Hluttaw, 6th regular session’s 5th day meeting was held at 10 am yesterday in the Pyithu Hluttaw meeting hall in Nay Pyi Taw.

At the meeting, U Min Thein of Taungdwingyi constituency asked if any high school students were serving prison sentences, and if so, could arrangements be made for them to continue their education and take examinations, including the matriculation examination.

In response to this question, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Aung Soe said prisoners who were sentenced while undergoing education were permitted to continue with their education so that they did not miss out on their opportunity for education. They were informed at the start of the education year that they could continue their education, and there were prisoners who were continuing their ninth standard education in Insein Central Prison and Mandalay Central Prison.

Teaching in prisons takes up 8 hours a day from Monday to Friday, and one session is 45 minutes with adequate breaks given in between. From Monday to Friday, prisoner teachers teach the students and on Saturdays state high school teachers and private teachers arranged by the prison comes to teach. When a chapter is completed, a chapter-concluding examination is conducted and, as per the government high school, first-term and second-term examinations were also conducted with examination papers from the government high school.

Students attending the classes and prison teachers are dressed in the traditional school uniforms of a white shirt and a green longyi, while textbooks and exercise books are provided by the Prisons Department and occasional donors. Insein Central Prison and Mandalay Central Prison arranges for those who pass the matriculation examination to continue university educations at Yangon Western University and Mandalay University, respectively, said the Deputy Minister. Responding to a question by U Lin Lin Oo of Tanai constituency on plans to start an international-level police academy, the Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Aung Soe said under the Police Training Department of the Myanmar Police Force there are Police Officer Depot, Police Officer Training Depot, Police Sergeant Training Depot, No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 Police Training schools. While the Police Officer Training Depot provides training to police officers and staff officers, the Mandalay Police Officer Training Depot was established. Surveillance, investigation, narcotics, intelligence, and tourist security courses are provided in cooperation with the European Union. The Ministry of Home Affairs will follow the policy direction and procedures of the union government to form an international-level police academy, replied the Deputy Minister.

Next, U Sai Thiha Kyaw of Mairel constituency said migrant workers who were working overseas for various reasons were now facing difficulties from changes in migrant labour laws and policies and were returning. In tabling a motion urging the government to assist these returnees who were the country’s ethnic nationals displaced from their homes and left by various means for other countries due to the long-running political situation and conflict in the country, lack of job opportunities, and fear daily from instability in the region, avoiding wars, lacking opportunity for education and facing livelihood difficulties were expecting the government’s assistance in getting full salary, wages and safety in their overseas works. These migrant workers with a passport, work permits and stay permits face difficulties in extending their permits and passports and employers confiscating their passports. Migrant workers without legal papers were also facing difficulties from changing labour laws and policies resulting in being detained and employers driving them away without paying wages. Thus they are awaiting and yearning for the government’s assistance. Township, ward and village tract administrators, police, immigration, Tatmadaw and civil service society personnel are urged to assist them. The motion was supported by U Sai Oo Kham of Hsenwi constituency and the Hluttaw Speaker announced that hluttaw representatives who want to debate the motion to register their names. Afterwards, the Hluttaw Speaker announced the receipt of a bill amending the narcotic drug and psychotropic substances law sent with amendment by Amyotha Hluttaw and bill committee member Daw Mar Mar Khaing submitted and read a report about it. Next, the Hluttaw Speaker announced that hluttaw representatives who want to discuss the bill should register their names.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar