Letter To Thein Sein2

To U Thein Sein Prime Minister State Peace and Development Council Naypyitaw Date: September 8, 2008 Subject Matter: request to (1) withdraw the military personnel attached to the school administration (2) and terminate their heavy-handed involvement with the campus life It is apparent in Myanmar that the military personnel attached to the administration board of the universities and colleges are far more powerful than the professors and rectors in such matters as setting up rules and regulations on campuses. Most teachers, acquainted with and considerate to students, have repeatedly been transferred to different places. Upon such occasions caused by the interference of the military personnel, other teachers are intimidated to maintain close relationship with students, which consequently create distress on students, teachers and parents alike. Incidents of similar nature destroy not only the peaceful student life but also the future of the youths. As you might have probably known and considered with sympathy, the students from the underprivileged families have to pursue their study at the expense of a substantial part of their families’ income, which they are obligated to compensate with their part-time job. Parents send their toil from dawn till dusk and send their sons and daughters to schools, paying little heed to fill their empty stomachs. Thus, it is the burning desires of all parents to see their children successfully complete their education as soon as possible so that they can be off the financial burden plus distress brought by their children from their schools. Still worse, we have recently noticed that some government authorities whose has no formal decision-making authority on school campuses have intentionally banned from sitting the examination the students that are active in extracurricular activities and required to help their parents seek money to make ends meet with one and only one limp excuse that they have failed to make 75% attendance. As a matter of fact, the decision makers should have thought twice before they issued such severe penalty to those students with financial hardship, but able to maintain the minimum grade in class and responsible for creating a lively and dynamic campus. Current incidents distressing to the students from Sittwe Universities and Colleges are as follows; 1. 13 computer students were banned from taking their final examination as it is allegedly presumed that they failed to make 75% attendance 2. 60 technological students were banned from taking their final examination with an excuse that they enrolled themselves late to their school

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3. the charismatic professor, Daw Soe Hay Mar was demoted and transferred to the Taung Ngu Computer University
for her favor for the extracurricular activities of the students
for her understanding over their financial hardship and distress on the campus Such measures taken by the persons concerned are totally against the government’s motto “May students enjoy campus life and become academically outstanding”. Thus, on behalf of the students, teachers and parents concerned, we humbly request you to withdraw the military personnel attached to the school administration and terminate their heavy-handed involvement with the campus life of the students for the birth of socially and academically outstanding students that would better our society. Representative Committee (Arakan Teachers’ and Parents’ Association)

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