07.01.2007
Irregularities in Burma's Education System
_ By Dr. Hla Khine
It is stated in SHWE BA’s article 'A Peep behind the Curtain of Myanmar Education System' published in BURMA DIGEST a few months ago that I was dismissed from service as I did not toe the line. Please read what actually happened here below.
My ‘Medical’ Alma Mata
Institute of Medicine, Mandalay was established as an unexpected 'windfall'' of a situation. It was not planned with any foresight. There was no campus, no fenced territory, no Examination-cum-Convocation Hall, no Staff Quarters, no …… While the political parties were making forays and inroads into territories of opposing parties, the regional members of the incumbent party thought it to be an excellent idea to 'harvest' votes by 'commandeering' a building constructed to serve as a State High School into a Medical College. Taking the credit for establishing a Medical College when there was none before and not even in the planning stage of the Government’s 5 year plan. At its inauguration it was first taken in as a 'Branch' of the Faculty of Medicine already existent in Rangoon since the colonial days.
When the Regional College in Mandalay decided to convert to a full-fledged University, (MASU), the need to absorb the Medical Faculty became inevitable. Thus we cut off the 'umbilical cord' from the Rangoon Medical College and became a separate Faculty of our own being able to confer our own medical degree. We had a change of four Deans before a ‘luminary’ amongst them took over as the Dean but conferred the title 'Rector' because, like in Red China, our College was later named the 'Institute' of Medicine. Some of the students who became university students enlisted in the University Training Corp (UTC). This Rector was exceptional and extraordinary as he was the only one who wore full military uniform when he did not even have a UTC training and was shameless enough to walk around the town with a pistol dangling from his army-issue belt ‘a la’ John Wayne.
During his tenure in that institute, he was subjected to 'Departmental' and 'Personal' Inquiry, three times. That would indicate to any discerning Academician as something shameful and a total loss of personal dignity and face. (Any Japanese male subjected to such humiliating situation would immediately commit 'Harakiri' to uphold and maintain the dignity of the clan).
Maybe it was divine intention and intervention to change
my fortune or would you label it as 'misfortune' ? A certain Regional Chairman
of
Mandalay
(TaingKaunSiOkkaHta) appeared on the scene. At that time we had an
educational system where a student needs to enter a 'Regional' college first,
before he is allowed to register as a university student. Unfortunately, both
the two daughters of this TaingKaunSiOkkaHta failed to qualify, even for the
'Regional' college. Meaning to say that the 'hope' of ever registering as a
university student was already forfeited. Surprise, surprise, surprise, not only
did they got admitted into
Regional
College,
but later also into 'Medical' college. With this type of bare-faced and
shameless corruption, we had sold the 'standard' and the honour of our Higher
Education down the 'sewage' drain.
Collaboration in Corruption
A Rector, by nature of his rank, responsibility and integrity is expected and required to uphold the rules & regulations of the Institute of Higher Education. But if such a person of responsibility starts to manipulate with the results of examinations, especially a Medical one, which is connected with the health, welfare and lives of people, it is regarded as an extreme tragedy and gross and wanton corruption. Those ‘doctors’ or lecturers and professors who pretended 'not to know' (U Pyit Khar) of such irregularities for fear of losing their ranks and jobs, are guilty of collusion in this despicable collaboration and high treason . Thus during the meeting of the members of the Board of Examiners, the Rector / Chairman of the Board, started to suggest about conferring 'Distinction' in Anatomy to elder of TaingKaunSiOkkaHta’s two daughters who did not deserve it. For such brazen misuse of power and authority unbecoming of his status, not only should this person's rank and responsibility be revoked but his license and registration with the Burma Medical Council should also be cancelled immediately. It was under such scenario that i put in a contention to the Rector's suggestion and after some heated arguments with him walked out of the Board Meeting in utter amazement and total disbelief and refused to sign the Results of the Second MB Final Examination Results for that year and session. With me protesting to their conspiracy to give distinction, I was informed later that the Rector demanded that each member of the Examiner’s Board who were left behind give a letter of agreement to give Distinction in Anatomy to the Mandalay Division Chief’s daughter.
When the results were later put up on the notice board of the Rector’s Office the students vented their disagreement and disgust by spitting and hurling their phlegm and nasal discharge onto the pasted results. I did not mind at all. As everyone could see, the students have explicitly demonstrated their resentment and hostility towards that incident. After that I refused to take on the duty as an Internal Examiner despite frequent reminder by the DGME (Director General Medical Education) to do so. So I did my work and the wayward Rector did his work. It was a sort of each party being aware of the faux pas of the other – Bo Ney Myere Kyar Ney Myere – until one day months afterwards I received a letter from the Rector’s office instructing me to vacate the room he had given to me in the hostels as an Assistant Warden. The letter was delivered by hand at exactly 12 noon on a Saturday so that I had no recourse to repeal the order. That was the most ‘ungentlemanly’ act that he had done and I highly resented it. Had it not been for my former Head of the Department of Anatomy, Prof. Dr U Myint Thein, my bedroll and my things would have been thrown out of the window onto the road. That was how vindictive and ‘small-minded’ the Rector was. U Myint Thein on being informed of the situation came in his Land Rover and helped to load my things onto his car. He went straight to a house just beside the Yey Nyi Myaung across which was the PanTra School of Music and Fine Arts. From that day onwards the Rector had released the ‘Beastly’ side of my Zodiac (Gemini –Twins – One face is extremely Good and the other face, Ferocious, Merciless & Wild). Thus each time I saw him walking in the corridor of the Institute, I would walk straight at him and bang his shoulder very rudely with mine. He was ‘stunned’ the first time it happened as he never expected someone of my education and rank to show such animosity and the height of rudeness and brazen disrespect to the highest authority in the Institute. The second time I saw him walking in the corridor was when he was going to the Physiology Department from his office. I walked and half-ran to catch up with him and banged his shoulder from behind and continued to walk past him briskly. I did turn around to smirk at him adding to his anger and shame. The third time we met in the corridor, he was walking in the centre of it as if to assert his rightful turf and territory. Again I went straight at him and much to his disbelief, banged his shoulder with such malice that it made him swivel and fall on his bum. One morning, days later, as I was going up or actually, I was running up the stairs to meet with the Registrar U Than Tun Aung Hlaing, I saw him coming down with the high ranking Party Member from the Mandalay Division. Instead of slowing down and giving way to the ‘LuGyis’ that were coming down, I continued to run up and again banged his shoulder. He fell heavily on his bum in front of the Party Member. Instead of stopping to lift him up and apologising profusely, I just stood there with my fist on my hip with one foot on the next rung of the stairs and just stared at him with an amused smile. This time he reported the matter to DGME, surgeon U Kyaw Maung. When I went down to Rangoon as an examiner, U Kyaw Maung sent a note saying that he wanted to see me.
So on the last day of the exam I went to his office. “Oh, so you are Dr Hla Khine, I’ve been hearing a lot about you and this is the first time I’ve met you. Please sit down. Your Rector from Mandalay Institute of Medicine came to complain to me that you caused intentional injury and harm to him and also caused him to lose face in front of important people’
‘It’s true, Sayagyi, what do you want to do?’
“I’m just asking you this because he came here to complain to me’
I said, “it’s true, what do you want to do? Do you want to sack me?’
“Goodness, it’s difficult to talk to you. What can I do to
you? You’re a Selection Grade Lecturer (GazettedOfficer)”
‘Anyway,
it’s up to you. Do what you like. I’m not bothered. Loke Ye Yin Hkan Ye Ya
Mere’
(to be continued next week)
.
Comments:
Dave Law said _
Dear Dr. Hla Khine, you did say that the Rector wore an army uniform plus a
pistol. Out of curiosity, what rank did he wear and did he have a pistol during
the many times you bumped him?
As I read your words, I can see it in my imagination, this pompous old asshole
in that hateful green garb with stars and bars on his shoulders, getting knocked
flat onto his butt and the scene is absolutely hilarious. It is worthy of a
movie script.
Looking forward to your sequel. Thanks.
Dr San Oo Aung said _
Welcome aboard comrade. As an old friend of yours, I
knew that you are very fluent in English and I had even read some of your
flowery articles. I hope you could understand that I dare not reveal my identity
at the present.
Please continue to contribute to the Burma Digest with your true stories about
rotten state of Myanmar Education system, your experience of crossing the
borders and your early struggles in Malaysia.
And hope you would be kind enough to share your experiences about the political
conditions, education, human rights, individual freedom, rule of law, economy
etc during Parliamentary Democracy under U Nu, Ne Win and your advice for the
future Secular Democratic federal Union of Burma.
A bitter love experience could make a good artist, music composer and novelist.
Because of your bitter experience under General Ne Win's Military Dictatorship,
you are qualified to become a Revolutionist struggling for Democracy. Hope to
see your further contributions to BD as you have all the qualities to become a
revolutionary journalist.
Dr Zafar Shah said _
That Rector's rank was Colonel. He was promoted to DGME (Director General of
Medical Education) and later became the Minister of Health.
Secret is, he was said to be the son in law of SB Director and his wife was
closed to MI Khin Nyunt's wife.
When he was the Physiology Head and Professor, he taught the shortest chapter,
Renal System and was witnessed by few students including me for requesting the
another lecturer to couch him just before his lectures and had used to make some
mistakes in the lectures.
He was famous for, "Ma Loke, Ma Shoke, Ma Pyoke" and "A Htet Phar_Aught Phi".
A student leader, "Lan Zin Lu Nge" secretary, nephew of the Party Unit
secretary, used to call him "Ye Baw" and frequently asked his (University) car
keys even when he was chairing the staff meetings.
His personal technician kept the laser printer, photocopy machine and video
cameras of the university as his own personal properties. No one is allowed to
use free of charge even for teaching purpose. However, if paid, could do any
thing. Once there was a Police investigation because the University camera was
used to make Blue Video Pictures! Nevertheless, nothing happens.
So this is a perfect showpiece of Corrupted Myanmar under Military rule.
Dr Hla Khine replied _
U San Maung, U Ne Win's brother-in-law was that Rector's wife's Godfather. It was through his influence that that Rector was promoted to DGME and then to a Minister, despite the many Personal and Departmental enquires conducted by the Ministry. I should think that U Khin Nyunt camet on the scene only later. Myet Hman Tin Oo and later U Bo Ni were the MI chiefs at that time.
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