The Teaching of Ethnic Language and the Role of Education in the Context of
Mon Ethnic Nationality in Burma

Initial Report of the First Phase of the Study on the Thai-Burma Border

(November 1999 - February 2000)

by Thein Lwin

Abstract: The study initially found that there are two contradictory
education policies between the Burmese Government and the Mon Education
Committee of the New Mon State Party. The government policy leads to
Burmanisation at the expense of other indigenous nationalities (see
Education in Burma 1945-1999)1 while Mon education policy raises a strong
nationalism, which can lead to xenophobia. The study has investigated the
curricula and primary school syllabuses for Mon schools. Interviews with an
official of the Mon Education Committee, two teachers and some exiled
Burmese who stayed in the Mon area were conducted. However, due to the
present political tensions on the Thai-Burma border, the researcher has not
been able to investigate classroom practice regarding the above-mentioned
policies.

1. Background

The study was launched in October 1999 for the 1999-2000 academic year to
answer the following research questions:

1.What is the situation concerning education in the Mon area and the
teaching of Mon language in particular?

2.How do education and the teaching of ethnic language underpin a conflict
resolution between the Burmese Government and the Mon ethnic nationality?

The study is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID),
London - the award is administered by the British Council on behalf of the
DFID. The research is conducted under the supervision of the University of
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK and Naresuan University, Thailand. The location of
the research is in the ethnic Mon area near the Thai-Burma border.

2. First Phase of the Study

The researcher was based at Naresuan University in Thailand during the
first phase of the study (November 1999 - February 2000). He travelled
along the Thai-Burma border and met some Mon educators. He collected
education policy documents, school syllabuses and conducted interviews.
More specifically, the researcher interviewed an official of the Mon
Education Committee for three days - two hours each day. Two teachers were
also interviewed - one is a two-hour interview and the other one is half an
hour long. The interviews were tape-recorded. The researcher met some
Burmese exiles who used to stay in the Mon area and asked them about the
situation of schools and children there.

2.1 Historical Evolution Regarding the Teaching of the Mon Language

Lower Burma was once a Mon Kingdom under the name of Hong Sawatoi also
known as Ramannadesa. Ramannadesa was ethnically, culturally and
linguistically well developed since the 9th century. Mon literature was
established in Buddhist monasteries since the ruling era of Mon kings.
Although sovereign independence of the Mon was lost to the Burmese kings,
the Mon monasteries served as the only centre of Mon language and
literature teaching. Under the British colony (1885-1948), the education
system changed from a Buddhist monastery education to various vernacular
schools. The Mon language was allowed to be taught in schools in the Mon
areas under the British administration. After the independence, the
democratically elected government appointed skilful teachers to teach Mon
literature in the Mon territory. However, the military government, which
got power in 1962 ordered the teachers of Mon literature to step down from
their position. Many teachers had to resign. As a consequence, the Mon
language was no longer taught in 1965-1966. But villagers who treasured Mon
language and literature hired at their own expense Mon teachers to teach
their children. It would be difficult for the Mon language and literature
to survive without official recognition by the government.

The New Mon State Party (NMSP), amongst other ethnic groups, has joined the
armed insurgency since the independence of Burma in 1948. The NMSP formed
an Education Department in 1972 and opened Mon National Schools in areas
under their control - Tha-Ton, Moulmein and Tavoy. There are two committees
in the Education Department: the Mon National Education Committee (MNEC)
and the Textbook Committee. MNEC opened primary and secondary level Mon
National Schools. There are 150 Mon National Schools. The medium of
instruction in Primary Schools is the Mon language. In Junior Secondary
Schools (Middle Schools), Mon History is taught in the Mon language and the
other subjects are in Burmese. In the Senior Secondary Schools (High
Schools), the medium of instruction is Burmese. Burmese is taught as a
subject in all schools. In the Mon area (the three districts of Tha-Ton,
Moulmein and Tavoy), there are altogether 340 schools (see the following
table). Some 190 schools are under the control of the Burmese Government.
MNEC organises evening and weekend classes at monasteries to teach the Mon
language to pupils attending government-controlled schools.

Number of Schools, Students and Teachers (1999-2000)

[Source: Mon National Education Committee]

However, teachers of the Mon language and literature run the risk to be
punished by the government authorities. Some teachers have been arrested.
In 1994, some 30 schools were ordered to close because of the teaching of
the Mon language. Again in 1998, 120 Mon schools attended by six thousand
students were ordered to close by the government. Negotiations between the
New Mon State Party and the Burmese Government meant that these schools
could reopen, but the teaching of the Mon language and literature was not
officially allowed.

2.2 Curriculum and Syllabuses

Mon, Burmese, English and Maths are taught in the Junior Primary level
(Year 0, Year 1 and Year 2). Mon, Burmese, English, Maths, Geography and
Mon History are taught in the Senior Primary level (Year 3 and 4). Mon,
Burmese, English, Maths, Geography, Mon History and Science are taught in
the Junior Secondary level (Year 5, 6, 7 and 8). Mon History is taught in
the Mon language while the other subjects are in Burmese. As in government
schools, Burmese, English, Maths, Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology)
and Social Studies (History, Geography and Economics) are taught in the
Senior Secondary level (Year 9 and 10). These subjects are taught in
Burmese. Schools also use textbooks prescribed by the Burmese Government.
Mon language is not taught in the Senior Secondary level. At the end of
this level, students enter the government national examination.

All Primary Schools subjects and Mon History textbooks for the Junior
Secondary level are written in Mon language as prescribed by the Textbook
Committee of the Mon Education Department. The study found, regarding
especially in Mon History, that the children were taught about the
Mon-Khamar route entering Burma, the kingdoms of Hong Sawatoi, Pegu,
Thu-Wun-Na-Boun-Mi Tha-Ton, etc. However, the textbooks omit the history of
the Burmans and the Burmese kingdoms. In particular, in the Year 3
Geography textbook, it is written that "the Burmans came to Burma lately.
Therefore they could only stay in the central part of Burma rather than the
coastal areas". The history of Burmans may be interpreted here as downgraded.

According to a teacher, children were happy in the classroom because they
could learn in their mother tongue - but they are weak in Burmese.

2.3 Teachers' Situation

There are about 820 teachers in the Mon area. Teachers are recruited by the
NMSP on a voluntary basis. NMSP provides teachers 50 buckets of rice in the
husk a year, soap, toothpaste, candles, etc. They have no initial teacher
training. The NMSP has organised in-service teacher training at its Head
Quarters since 1992. From 1992 to 1994, there was a six-week training once
a year. In 1995, there was no training because of the repatriation after
the cease-fire agreement with the military regime. From 1996 to 1999, there
was also a six-week training four times a year. According to the data
provided by the Mon Education Committee, about 700 teachers were trained.

2.4 Funding for Mon Schools

The Mon Education Committee is financially supported for their schools by
international NGOs such as Norway-Burma Council, Swiss Aid, Burma Border
Consortium, Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation), etc. The local
community also supports for school buildings and housing for teachers.

3. Further Research

The study will continue school observations, interviews with teachers and
pupils in the second phase of the study (May-June 2000) to understand more
about schools' situations and classroom practices as well as the situations
of teachers and pupils. The study hopes that the second research question
"How do education and the teaching of ethnic language underpin a conflict
resolution between the Burmese Government and Mon ethnic nationality?" will
be answered at the end of the second phase of the study. The final report
will be submitted at the end of the study in October 2000.

Note:
1. Education in Burma (1945-1999) written by the researcher is available on
the web site: http://www.students.ncl.ac.uk/thein.lwin/

 3rd March 2000