Sayar Gyi U Pe Maung Tin and Sayar Zaw Gyi can be said to be
outstanding teachers who displayed great benevolence and sacrifice, and pursued
hobbies with interest; and, our nation has many such teachers:
Dr. Than Oo, Director-General (Retired)
(CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY)
The Myanma Radio and Television broadcast a program in
collaboration with the Department of Alternative Education (Non-formal
Education and Lifelong Learning) on the role of teachers and additional
recruitment of male teachers. The panelists are Dr. Than Oo, Director-General
(Retired), Basic Education Department, Ministry of Education; U Ko Lay Win,
Director-General (Duty), Basic Education Department, Ministry of Education; Dr.
Aung Aung Min, Deputy Director-General, Higher Education Department, Ministry
of Education; Dr. Win Aung and U Tun Hla, Members of National Educational
Policy Commission; U Soe Tun Tun Naing, Principal, Basic Education Middle
School number (9), Insein Township, Yangon Region; U Lin Lin Htaik, Senior
Assistant Teacher, Basic Education High School number (4), Thingangyun
Township, Yangon Region; Maung Arhman Htet, Fifth Year Student, Yangon
University of Education.
Dr. Win Aung: In pragmatic approach, there are two ways that
I could think about. The first approach and rule is to select and train the
person before letting him in joining the teaching profession. The second method
is to find ways and means to keep and maintain in the teaching profession.
Talking about the first approach, we need to change some
existing regulations and persuade the male teachers by prescribing the minimum
standard and norm of qualification at the entry point into University of
Education and Educational Colleges. With minimum standard of rule, we could
attract the male teachers.
▲Aim and objective▲
The second approach is related with the schools located at
the border areas and remote locality, where the male teachers must be chosen
among the persons of local residents from the same areas.
In many countries, the students who intend to join the University
of Education and Educational Colleges are subsidized with educational aids or
scholarships, and therefore, we should do the same incentive for male teachers
in our country.
Nowadays in many countries, the recruitment of male teachers
is carried out by the ministry of education through the marketing model similar
to business enterprises. Meeting with the students at the matriculation classes
of various schools, and persuades them in joining the University of Education
or Educational Colleges for diploma, degree or post graduate course.
This is the pragmatic approach to be considered in recruiting
male teachers. The second way is to keep and maintain the male teachers in the
loop of teaching profession. We need to find ways and means seriously in keeping
the male teachers in schools with the supervision of the Basic Education
Department.
Generally speaking, it could be said that the number of
female teachers is rising. In 2005-2006, we had submitted an educational report
of Myanmar to UNESCO, and found that female teachers represented (86) per cent
in the primary schools, and now it accounted for (83) per cent.
It reflected that the number and percentage of male teachers
is in the upswing. Another factor is to find ways and means to attract the male
teachers by observing them closely on yearly basis, and find the solution to
keep them in the ring.
▲Supervision and directive▲
The second factor is on the ways and means that many
countries adopted, which is observing closely to the male teachers. The solution
is in assigning the superior person and senior teacher to take care, support
and assist the new male teachers at the school. Such approach and supervision
is in progress being implemented by the Ministry of Education in cooperation
with the World Bank, it is generally with the aim and intention to cover all
the male and female teachers.
If the approach could be concentrated mainly with focus over
the male teachers in the watch and support system, it would be much beneficial.
In short, the most important factor is to make reform as have repeatedly
discussed, on the prescription of minimum standard and norm for the male
teachers. This should be included in the reform without fail so as to attract
and persuade the male teachers, and also keep them in the educational sphere.
Moderator: Please tell us the strategy in attracting the
teachers.
Dr. Aung Aung Min: There are two approaches in pre-service
training such as the Pre-Service Primary Teachers Training (PPTT) and the
Diploma In Teacher Education (DTEd) accommodating both male teachers and female
teachers without discrimination in the selection.
However, when the number of male applications is less, then
we have to fill up with female applications. In the selection, we offer first
priority to the males of local residents hailing from the area.
The second salient point is educational stipend, and at the
moment we are providing MMK thirty thousands to each student along with the
permission for stay at the hostel. Therefore, when a student passed the Matriculation
Examination, he could joined the Educational College or the University of
Education enjoying MMK thirty thousands in addition to stay at the hostel, and
the job is waiting for him.
▲Priority for local male residents▲
Job opportunities are not certain after graduation from the
arts and science universities and even the civil medical universities have no
job guarantees after schooling.
However, educational colleges have full guarantees for jobs
and stipends during educational stints. In our pre-service training, we could
persuade and win over them by providing more amount of stipend, and offering
priority to local residents of the area.
With the aim and objective as enticement to remain in the
locality during their teaching career, we negotiate and cooperate with the
local governments and other local self-administered divisions and
self-administered zones by offering concessions to the proposed students.
Some students are local residents, born there and raised
there and passed the Matriculation Examinations there. Unfortunately, they
could not catch up the marks required. When the local authorities made official
request to accept the students, then we are making concession five to ten per
cent in accepting the local residents.
When they joined the teaching profession, we have main
difficulty in providing appropriate and adequate salary to the teachers, and we
could not accommodate them with housing.
We learned that (85) per cent of the whole budget of the
Ministry of Education is incurred for the main salary of the teachers and
educational expenses. The remaining (15) per cent of budget is meant for
construction and other miscellaneous expenses.
Since (85) per cent of the budget is covered only for salary,
there is no separate budget allocation for housing for the teachers. Therefore,
the teachers themselves have to rely of their own for accommodations.
The salary of the teachers is not enough and therefore, the
household head find it difficult to live a decent life, and when the
predicament is too deep, the male teacher quit the job of teaching.
If the current difficult situation could be reversed and made
improvement by providing housing facilities, especially in Yangon, then we
would be able to recruit more male teachers.
Such adequate facilities should be considered by the Basic
Education Department and the Higher Education Department. As the drafting of
the Teacher Competency Standard Framework (TCSF) had already completed, the
teachers are expected to receive adequate salary and decent position in the
future, and therefore, more male teachers are expected to join the teaching
career.
Moderator: We heard that when the share of male students is
not adequate, then the female students are filled in. Are there any option and
other way out just to fill in with the males?
Dr. Aung Aung Min: We could do that. It was due to the fact
that we are just considering on the basis of the township in the selection. If
we consider to the extent of the whole country, we can recruit more male
students.
When we need males students for arts major for Yangon Region,
we could get them ether from Ayeyawaddy Region or from Bago Region. We have
(25) educational colleges in the whole of the country, and we allowed them to
attend at any college.
▲Focal implementation▲
We have to think about the quota system being allocated
originally to the regions, and that it is not to reduce their initial benefits
by transferring part of quota to other region.
For example, if a student from Ayeyawaddy Region is being
filled up in Yangon Region, he might want to go back to his local area
Ayeyawaddy Region after two to three years. When we called the applications, we
need to mention that one must be in a position to attend at any of the
educational colleges, and also binding them to have the ability in working as
Primary Assistant Teacher for three to five years term at any school in the
country.
Moderator: Please tell us on the current situation on the
scarcity of male teachers, and its possible solution.
Dr. Than Oo: I am of the view that we have plan and also
decided in providing quality education and also life-long learning education.
It is quite simple as the quality education could only be provided by the quality
teachers, and therefore, we are required in gathering quality teachers by all
means. We must go for it with seriousness, and by disseminating the message
with full cause.
▲Disseminating awareness▲
I have been in the teaching profession for many years and
would remain in this domain for the rest of my life. We need to organize and
loop in the teachers with benevolence and hobby.
At this juncture, our people from education domain must make
field visits to the basic education schools, and then raise awareness and
understanding about the esteemed, noble and valuable life of teachers whom we
revered in the top echelon of social and cultural sphere.
All these prominence, valued and treasured qualities of the
teachers are to be imparted to the students at the basic education schools and
the universities. In recruiting and gathering the new teachers with hobby and
kindness, this sort of activity is needed.
▲Best Example▲
If someone asked me what is my most noble aspiration, then I
would say that I do not want to be a director-general but to shoulder task as a
Professor. I am now (91) years old and still teaching, and would like to stay
that way until I die.
I am desirous to spread this as the best example to other
teachers. The teachers serving at different levels must be extended with
opportunities to be happy in their professions. We will convey the plan to the
Public Service Commission (The Union Civil Service Board). Sayar Gyi U Pe Maung
Tin and Sayar Zaw Gyi can be said to be outstanding teachers who displayed
great benevolence and sacrifice, and pursued hobbies with interest; and, our
nation has many such teachers: Dr. Than Oo, Director-General (Retired). We need
to pass this information to the teachers so that they may emulate and follow as
good professionals.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
By Nandar Win and Win Win Maw
PHOTO BY WIN WIN
Translated by UMT (Ahlon)
Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar
No comments:
Post a Comment