Myanmar observes World Teachers’ Day
Teachers of universities, colleges, institutes and basic education schools throughout the nation
to try hard to become the persons who can turn out outstanding students of the nation

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Oct — A ceremony to mark World Teachers’ Day for 2006 was held today at Ministry of Education here and Chairman of Myanmar Education Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein delivered an address at the ceremony.

He presented certificates of honour to the outstanding teachers at the ceremony.

It was also attended by ministers, deputy ministers, Acting Dean of Diplomatic Corps Ambassador of Lao People’s Democratic Republic Mr Chanthavy Bodhisane and ambassadors, representatives of UN agencies, departmental officials, rectors and principals of universities and colleges, officials of social organizations, teachers and students.

In his speech, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein said Myanmar commemorates the World Teachers’ Day which falls on 5 October and today’s ceremony is the fifth one in Myanmar. Myanmar observes the World Teachers’ Day annually to preserve a fine tradition of cooperation in international movements and enhance the Myanmar tradition of honouring teachers.

In Myanmar society, it is a conviction that the dignity of teachers is endowed with noble attributes. It is a very adorable custom that people regard teachers as one of the five infinities together with the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Buddhist Order, and parents.

Apart from teaching students, teachers are regarded as honourable persons who are capable of guiding and nurturing students to become the educated with good morality.

In his address, Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein urged teachers and parent to work joining hands with one another to develop the abilities and talents of teachers and to open opportunities for teachers.

As part of an effort for development of the State, the Government has been implementing the 30-year long-term national education promotion plan. The Government has also encouraged teachers to participate in drawing and implementing the National Education Promotion Plan. Moreover, a programme for improvement of abilities and talents of teachers is included in the plan.

In basic education sector, teachers and parents are working together to enable every child to go to school and to reduce the dropout rates.

The Government is taking steps to improve the abilities of teachers, to upgrade the curricula, to use information technologies in teaching and learning activities, to ensure the examination system to be adaptable to the teaching and learning activities and to achieve success in teaching activities in basic education schools.

In an attempt to improve the national education standard, Head of State Senior General Than Shwe gave guidance to improve teaching skills, to upgrade the curricula, to use teaching aids, to motivate students to observe rules and regulations and to emphasize flourishing of Patriotic Spirit and Union Spirit.

In accordance with guidance of the Head of State, refresher courses for senior assistant teachers were opened and arrangements have been made to upgrade the school curricula and those who qualified for senior assistant teachers were assigned to basic education high schools.

The Government has opened more teachership courses, pre-occupational degree courses, pre and post graduate courses, master’s degree course and doctorate courses.

DTEd, DTEC, BEd, PGDT, PGDMA courses and Special Certificate in Educational Technology-SCET course have been conducted in education colleges.

Therefore, it can be said that today’s teachers become those who have high teachership efficiency.

In the higher education sector, faculty members have many options to pursue further education in various subjects. Due to opening master’s courses, M Res courses and doctoral courses, subject-wise experts and highly-qualified faculty members rose. Therefore, teachers have more opportunities to create their better lives.

The Government is making arrangements for enhancement of the capabilities of teachers in the process of the improvement of teachership quality and national education promotion programme. Hence, teachers, on their part, are to make utmost efforts for carrying out their respective education tasks.

Teachers are noble persons entrusted with most subtle and praise-worthy tasks of the human society. They are also honorable persons striving for nurturing intellectuals and intelligentsia on whom the State can rely and outstanding persons for the nation and the world.

Therefore, teachers of universities, colleges, institutes and basic education schools throughout the nation are to try hard to become the persons who can turn out outstanding students of the nation by preserving teachers’ ethics and dignity in their respective regions.

In conclusion, the Secretary-1 on behalf of the Government, expressed gratitude to all the teachers for their performance in nurturing students who would enhance socio-economic life of the State in the future, and urged them to dutifully perform tasks of region-wise human resources development with diligence and perseverance.

Next, Education for All Country Coordinator U Tin Nyo read the joint message sent by heads of UNESCO, UNDP, ILO and UNICEF.

Students of Nay Pyi Taw BEHS No 6 sang the song entitled “Obe-myatsaya”.

Director-General U Bo Win of Education Planning and Training Department reported on the list of four honorary teachers and four outstanding teachers and their contributions to education sector.

Next, the Secretary-1 presented awards and certificates of honour to retired rector of Mandalay University Dr Kyaw Sein, retired principal of Yangon Institute of Foreign Languages Vice-Chairman-2 of Myanmar History Commission U Sai Aung Tun, retired director-general of Basic Education Department U Tin Pe and retired chairman of Myanmar Board of Examinations U Maung Maung Sein through Chairman of Myanmar Board of Examinations Director-General of Myanmar Education Research Department U Ohn Myint; and awards and certificates of honour to four outstanding teachers — Headmaster U Tin Htay of Phaletkho BEPS in Zalun Township, Headmaster U Myo Khaing of Legyikwin BEPS in Kyangin Township, retired Headmaster U Than Aye of Moemeik BEPS No 2 and JAT Daw Khin Than of Loikaw BEMS No 1 respectively.

Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maj-Gen Maung Maung Swe presented first, second and third prizes to the winners in the faculty member level article contest, the article contests of basic education high school teachers, middle school teachers and primary school level teachers respectively.

Minister for Religious Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung and Minister for Education Dr Chan Nyein gave first, second and third prizes to the winners in the essay and poem contests at university/college level, high school level and middle school level.

After the ceremony, the Secretary-1 greeted diplomats of foreign missions, resident representatives of UN agencies and honorary teachers.

Later, the Secretary-1 and party together with guests viewed the booth opened in commemoration of World Teachers’ Day (2006), prize winning works of poem, essay and article contests and endeavours of honorary teachers and outstanding teachers displayed at the hall of the Ministry of Education.

Cuban representative sends letter to UNSC chairman as Cuba’s demand to
attend UNSC meeting on Myanmar agenda, on behalf of NAM, is not permitted

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Oct — A private meeting was held at the UN Security Council on 29 September afternoon after putting Myanmar on the UNSC agenda. UN Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Mr Ibrahim Gambari gave clarifications on the agenda.

Cuba taking the chairmanship duty of Non-Aligned Movement submitted a request to attend the meeting. But the UNSC rejected the request. Cuban UN representative sent a letter to the UNSC chairman the same day.

The letter says,“we regret that decision which reaffirm once against the validity of the Non-Aligned Movement's position on the need for an urgent and in-depth reform of the Security Council including the reform of the working methods of this organ.

“The request made by the Non-Aligned Movement to address the above-mentioned Council meeting was entirely justified and in full accordance with the provisional rules of procedure of this organ. The Non-Aligned Movement is made up of 118 States, including neighbouring States of Myanmar, whose interests are directly affected by the item under discussion.

“We uphold the view that listening to the considerations of such an example and representative number of Member States of the United Nations would be in the interest of the Security Council, providing it with a first-hand statement on all criteria before adopting suitable decisions on the issue in question.

“Actions like this, based on an arbitrary and selective interpretation of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, do not contribute to advancing towards the necessary transparency and representativeness that should characterize the work of an organ that under the Charter of the United Nations, should act on behalf of all Member States of the United Nations.

“I am hereby requesting that the text of the present letter and it’s annex containing the statement Cuba was to make on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement at today’s private meeting on “The situation in Myanmar”, be circulated as a document of the Security Council.”

NAM stresses situation in Myanmar does not constitute a threat to international peace and
security & need for the Council to uphold the primacy of and respect for the Charter in
carrying out its duties and responsibilities

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Oct—After the Myanmar issue was constituted on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, a private meeting took place on 29 September afternoon to deal with the issue. In that regard, Cuba asked that it would attend the meeting on behalf of the NAM, but the request met the dismissal of the UNSC. So, Cuban representative to the UN wrote to the president of the UNSC, attaching to the letter the clarification of Cuba to be made at the private meeting on behalf of the NAM. The clarification made by Cuba on behalf of the NAM is as follows:

I wish to thank you for the opportunity to express on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement the concerns that have been expressed by member countries of the Movement on the inclusion of the issue of the situation in Myanmar in the agenda of the Security Council.

The Non-Aligned Movement reaffirms its principled positions pertaining to the cardinal requirement of upholding respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and of maintaining the relationship between the Security Council and other principal organs of the United Nations in accordance with the Charter, in particular on the question of encroachment by the Security Council on the functions and powers of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, as well as other matters related thereto.

The principled positions of the Movement on these issues have been transmitted to the President of the Security Council for the month of February, 2006 through the letters of the Chairman of the Coordination Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement dated 10 February 2006 and 20 February 2006, as contained in documents S/2006/85 and S/2006/111, respectively, and the letter dated 10 July 2006.

The Non-Aligned Movement stresses once again that the decision by the Security Council to initiate a formal or informal discussions on the situation in any Member State of the United Nations or any issue that does not constitute a threat to international peace and security is contrary to Article 24 of the Charter of the United Nations. The Movement does not consider that the situation in Myanmar constitutes a threat to international peace and security and opposes attempts by a member of the Council to catergorize the situation in Myanmar as such.

Therefore, including this issue in the agenda of the Council would be in violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter, in particular, Article 24. In this regard, the Movement further stresses once again the need for the Council to uphold the primacy of and respect for the Charter in carrying out its duties and responsibilities.

I also wish to inform the Council that the Fourteenth Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in its Final Document adopted on 16 September 2006 “call(s) upon the Security Council to uphold the primacy of the respect for the Charter in connection with its functions and power and stresses once again that the decision by the Security Council to initiate formal or informal discussions on the situation in any Member State of the United Nations or any issue that does not constitute a threat to international peace and security is contrary to Article 24 of the Charter.”

KNPLF condemns United States for its interference in Myanmar’s
internal affairs using the UN as a tool

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Oct — Kayinni Nationalities Peopel’s Liberation Front (Ka-La-La-Ta) on 27 September issused the declaration on its stance on the decision to put Myanmar on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.

The following is the full text of the declaration:

The declaration of Kayinni Nationalities Peopel’s Liberation Front (Ka-La-La-Ta)

27 September 2006

1. Myanmar is a souvereign State in which different national races are residing.

2. With one-sided pressure on a sovereign State, US made an attempt to interfere in internal affairs of Myanmar and put Myanmar on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, accusing it of posing a threat to regional stability. The US's act violated UN Charter Article 24 and Five Principles of Bandong Declaration.

3. Ensuring peace and development and emergence of democracy in Myanmar is the duties of all Myanmar national races. All the national races have accepted the need to discharge these national duties with the same mind. All the national races joining hands with the people are striving for peace, development and democratic transition and we are enjoying fruitful results to some extent.

4. There is no reason for Myanmar to pose a threat to regional stability because peace and stability prevails throughout the country and there can be seen unprecedented developments in all regions.

5. Therefore, KNPLF hereby declares that it condemns and protests against the act of United States as it is merely interference in Myanmar’s internal affairs using the UN as a tool.

U Tun Kyaw
Vice-Chairman
Kayinni Nationalities Peopel’s Liberation Front (Ka-La-La-Ta)

Billboards set up in Mandalay

Yangon, 5 Oct — Hailing the Annual General Meeting for 2006 of Union Solidarity and Development Associa-tion, a billboard was set up in front of the office of Mandalay Division USDA in Mandalay on 3 October. Chairman of Man-dalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, wife Daw Khin Pyone Win, chairperson of Mandalay Division Maternal and Child Welfare Supervisory Committee, local author-ities, members of Mandalay Division USDA were present.

The two outstand-ing students unveiled the billboard. Likewise, a billboard was erected near the office of Chan-myathazi Township USDA and the two outstanding students formally opened the billboard.

A similar ceremony was held at the corner of 80th Street and 26th Street in Mandalay. At the ceremony, the two outstanding students unveiled the billboard. Secretary of Mandalay Division USDA U Tin Maung Oo, members of USDA and students were present.

Delegates to NC arrive in Yangon

Yangon, 5 Oct — The delegates to the National Convention from Taninthayi Division, Shan State ( East ) and Rakhine State arrived at Yangon International Airport today.

They were wel-comed at the airport by Chairman of Invitation and Accommodation Sub-committee Col Htein Lin and committee members and conveyed to Nyaunghnapin Camp, venue of the National Convention in Hmawby Township, Yangon Division.

Trials for U-14 youth team held

Nay Pyi Taw, 5 Oct — Chairman of Myanmar Olympic Committee Minister for Sports Brig-Gen Thura Aye Myint, together with President of Myanmar Football Federation U Zaw Zaw and officials of the Sports and Physical Education Department, attended the trials to select caps for the U-14 youth team at Paunglaung Sports Ground in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.

In the trials, Sports and Physical Education Institute (Mandalay) team beat SPEI (Yangon) team 4-2.

Two U-14 youth teams from SPEI (Yangon) and (Mandalay) and three U-14 youth teams formed with players from States and Divisions, totalling five are taking part in the trials.

MYANMAR GAZETTE

Yangon, 5 Oct — The State Peace and Development Council has appointed the following persons as heads of service organizations shown against each on probation from the date they assume charge of their duties.

Foreign Ministry holds National Seminar on ASEAN Charter

Yangon, 5 Oct — The opening ceremony of National Seminar on ASEAN Charter, organized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held at Hotel Nikko Royal Lake this morning with an opening address by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Thu.

Secretary-General of ASEAN Secretariat Mr Ong Keng Yong explained ASEAN Charter and Mr Karl-Peter Schoenfisch of Hanns Siedel Foundation gave accounts related to the meeting. It was attended by ASEAN Ambassadors in Yangon, Directors-General of the ministry, representatives from Attorney-General’s Office, Civil Service Selection and Training Board, National AFTA Unit, respective Ministries, International Relations Department of University of Yangon and responsible persons of social organizations and associations.

At the seminar, Director-General U Aung Bwa of ASEAN Affairs Department briefed on evolution of ASEAN, Director-General U Nyan Linn of Political Affairs Department, on ASEAN values, principles, objectives and challenges, Special Assistant to Myanmar EPG on ASEAN Charter Director U Wynn Thein, on organizational structure.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the seminar wih the cooperation and support from Hanns Siedel Foundation, an NGO from Germany.

Third New Generation Youth Golf tournament to be held

Yangon, 5 Oct — Under the supervision of Myanmar Golf Federation, Myanmar Golf Club has already made arrangements to hold Third New Generation Youth Golf tournament at the club, 9th Mile on 10 and 11 October.

The tournament features age-wise events and it has three categories— aged 13-15 and aged 16-20 in the men’s and aged 10-18 in the women’s.

Handsome prizes will be awarded to winners. The main sponsor is Han Golf Masters Pte Ltd and the co-sponsors are Srixon, Myanmar Golf Club Driving Range, Han Golf Masters Academy and Golf Masters magazine.

The participants may register at Myanmar Golf Club (Ph-661702) not later than 2 pm of October 9.