Students' protest march continues, getting stronger

On February 11, the government and student leaders convened a negotiation at the Yangon Region Parliament. About 20 delegates each from the government, the parliament, the National Network for Education Reform (NNER) and the Committee for Democracy Education Movement (CDEM). The first negotiation was adjourned on Feburary 3 on the directive of President Thein Sein. 

Minister Aung Min and officials from the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) who attended the first meeting were not present at the February 11 talk.

Details on the government's agreement to the students' demands will be discussed in the next meeting. 

“The government has agreed on the 11-point demands in principle. These points will be put into the National Education Law. But further details need to be discussed. The next meeting will be held soon,” said CDEM member Nan Lin.

This was the third meeting. The previous one was on February 9. On February 7, the Education Ministry released a statement warning students to honour their promise to stop their protests ahead of the February 9 meeting. It said the government has done its utmost to preserve the stability of the state, the rule of law and the security of the student protesters. It also said that in order not to lose the right to education, the protesters must go back to the schools where they belong and parents call back their sons and daughters in the protest to go home. 

There were reports in state-run media that the protesters aimed to incite violence. Students, who seek amendments to the “undemocratic” National Education Law, flatly denied this, saying that they are staging a peaceful protest calling for fulfillment of their demands. 

“We try to coordinate the 11 points we have demanded. But the government unilaterally decided to postpone the meeting. We are demanding an urgent meeting to solve the problem and to amend the law to a certain degree. If they fail to do so, our students will continue the protest march. I want to warn the authorities that the people will not stand idle if the student protests face a crackdown,” Kyaw Ko Ko, chairman of All Burma Students Union, told the media. 

“We choose the correct path in a hearty manner. No one needs to instigate. We are not asking for public support. But the local people are supporting us anyway. We are not engaging in unrest or violence. The students don’t even have a pin. They are protesting peacefully. They are just holding flags and chanting slogans.” 

Along the routes towards Yangon, the local people encouraged the protesters with slogans and playing drums. 

In Yangon, on February 8, some 600 people staged a protest in support of the student protest march against the education reform from respective regions across the country.

 “The government is saying the conspirators are behind the student protests. The truth is no one or any group is behind the protests. We never intend to encroach upon the power of the State. We are demanding just the democratic education regardless of our interests. Despite the crackdown on protest march, we will continue marching to Yangon which is our main destination,” Nanda Sit Aung of the leading committee for democratic education movement said.

Starting the march in Mandalay on January 20, the student protesters marching to Yangon are now divided into three columns – Mandalay column, Pakokku column and Ayeyawady column.

A group of students from Ayeyawady Region began their march against the National Education Law on February 3, joining students from Mandalay, Rakhine and other towns.

The Pakokku column includes university students from Monywa and Pakokku, but also students from Chauk’s technical college.

They arrived in Nyaung U yesterday where the leaders explained the reasons behind the protest.

"The concessions demanded by the students are really necessary. Education has fallen behind for so many years. If the authorities want the country to develop, they should agree to the students' demands. We're welcoming the students because they are marching 400 miles to Yangon without any self-interest," said Ye Myo Thant from Nyaung U.

Students carried slogans reading: “Let us organise student unions freely”, “Democratic education” and “We don’t want the National Education Law”.

“We’re heading to Yangon since the government unilaterally ended discussions. We will keep protesting until the government implements our demands,” said Pyae Phyo Kyaw, a leader of the column.

More than 100 students will march to Chauk today (Sunday) and then pass through Yenangyaung, Magway and Pyay.

The Ayeyarwady column consists of some 100 students. 

 “The government says we do not have unity. We are marching to show our unity with the 15-person committee. Although we met obstacles along our way, we will continue. I ask people to join and support us. The government said that people do not agree with us. But every town we reach welcomes us. We never take the people’s earnings unfairly or trouble the people,” said Wai Yan Aung, a leader of the Ayeyarwady column, who is also a lecturer from Pathein University.

The National Education Law was approved by the parliament on September 30, 2014. Chapter 4 of the law immediately attracted heavy criticism for centralising the education system.

Chapter 4 provides for the establishment of the National Education Commission and outlines its duties and rights. The law states that the National Education Commission must be formed with the approval of the Union parliament. The members of the commission must be Union Ministers from the Education Ministry and other related ministries, ethnic experts or and other professionals, while the chairperson must be a Union-level official. 

The commission is charged with setting an official vision for the education system, organising a committee to implement the vision in line with the law, conducting educational projects and giving permission to open domestic or international schools. 

A member of Network for National Education Reform (NNER) Dr Arkar Moe Thu said: “The National Education Commission had been organising since the 1988 coup. After that, General Khin Nyunt controlled the schools and universities. However, that commission should not be there during the transition to democracy. Universities should get autonomy and should be independent from any other authorities. Besides, foreign investment might be postponed due to this centralisation.”