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Information Sheet No.A.0599(I)



                          MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
                                            YANGON

                                     Information   Sheet

                           No.A.0599(I)        9 September 1998

(1)		Cash Donated for EFA Programme at International Literacy Day Ceremony

		The International Literacy Day ceremony was held at the Yangon University
Diamond Jubilee Hall on Pyay Road at 9 am on 8 September addressed by Chairman
of the Education For All Central Coordinating Committee Chairman of Myanmar
Education Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council,
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt. 

		In his address, the Secretary-1 pointed out that the Union of Myanmar , as a
member of the  family of nations, has conducted international literacy
campaigns in collaboration with UN agencies in accordance with tradition.  As
Myanmar has worked actively and achieved unprecedented success, she deservedly
won the Mohammed Reza Pahlavi Prize in 1971 and the Noma Prize in 1983.
Within this decade too, Myanmar participated in and signed the declaration of
the World Conference on Education for All held in 1990 in Jomtien, Thailand,
and attended by 155 countries.  Based on the goals set by the conference,
Myanmar has set up programmes for Education for All.  On December 27, 1996,
the Education for All Coordinating Committee was formed at the national level
and under the committee the Education for All Executive Committee led by the
Minister for Education was established.  The following are the Education for
All programmes being implemented. 

		- In the year 2000 all Myanmar school going age children will be given the
opportunity to receive basic education and at least 80% of the children are to
complete primary education and 

		- As part of non-formal education to reduce adult illiteracy from 22 per
cent to 11 per cent.  

		Non-formal education programmes with 828 learning centres were launched in
1996-97 in 39 townships and over 20,000 students have achieved literacy and
the programme was extended in 1997-98 to 80 townships and in 1998-99 to 104
townships.  Plans have been laid to extend the programme in the remaining
townships in 1999-2000 The Education for All programmes being implemented at
present is not just a literacy programme, but it also links income generation
programmes, quality of  life improvement programmes, basic literacy
programmes,  non-formal education and vocational skills programmes to make
Myanmar nationals literate, enrich their knowledge, broaden and sharpen their
minds.

		Next, General Secretary of Myanmar National Commission for UNESCO Rector of
the Institute of Education read the message from the Director-General of
UNESCO.  Officer Incharge of the United Nations Development Programme Mr. Y Y
Kim then delivered a speech.  He said two years ago in June 1996, participants
from 75 countries came together in Amman, Jordan, to assess the progress that
had been made in the five years following the Jomtien Conference on Education
For All and to look at the lessons of those five years.  The global assessment
at the Amman Conference of past achievement and remaining challenges has much
relevance to Myanmar.  The people of Myanmar can take pride in a high rate of
literacy which rose from 72 per cent in 1970 to 83 per cent in 1995 according
to the 1998 edition of the Human Development Report---an independent report
commissioned by UNDP.  Similarly, the gross enrolment ratio for all school
levels rose from 39 per cent to 48 per cent (of the population aged  6-23) in
the last 25 years.  At the same time, it is encouraging indeed to note the
importance that the Government of Myanmar continues to attach to the efforts
towards the achievement of Education for All goals, agreed upon at the Jomtien
Conference.  This was followed by donation of cash towards the fund for the
Education For All programme.  After the ceremony, Secretary-1 formally opened
the International Literacy Day Commemorative Exhibition. It is also learnt
that  talks on the International Literacy Day were held at Myanmar Education
Research Bureau, Yangon  on 8 September afternoon.

(2)		Myanmar Delegation Back from 12th  Non-Aligned Movement Summit

		Minister for Foreign Affairs arrived back Yangon via Bangkok after attending
the 12th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Durban, South Africa.  Minister led
the Myanmar delegation to the 12th Non-Aligned Movement Summit and
participated at the Ministerial-level Preparatory Meeting and the Summit
Meeting from 31 August to 3 September.  During his stay in Durban, the
Minister met with United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan, Minister of
State for External Affairs of India Mrs. Vasundhra Raj, Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs of  Ukraine Mr. Anatoly Osel, and Permanent Representative of
Japan to the United Nations Mr. Hisashi Owada separately.  In his capacity as
the leader of the Myanmar Delegation, he delivered an address in the General
Debate of the Summit Meeting on 3 September. 

(3)		Minister for Transport Leaves for Singapore

		A Myanmar delegation led by Minister for Transport left Yangon by air on  8
September  to attend the Fourth Meeting of ASEAN Transport Ministers in
Singapore on 9 and 10 September.  

(4)		Labour Department, JITCO Sign Record of Discussions

		A ceremony to sign a  record of discussions between Labour Department and
Japan International Training and Cooperation Organization  (JITCO) at Shan
Kan-3 Restaurant, Yangon,, on 8 September. Director General of Labour
Department and Executive Director of JITCO, Mr Katsuta Ikeda signed the record
of discussions. Labour Department and JITCO discussed sending of Myanmar
apprentice workers to Japan at Equatorial Hotel, Yangon on 7 September. The
discussions were organized by the Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce.
Garment factories, construction companies and metal works also took part in
the discussions. 

			  OFFICE CALLS IN YANGON ON 8 SEPTEMBER

(A)		 Secretary of Myanmar Investment Commission received President Mr.
Kazumasa Maekawa and party of Maekawa Kensetsu Co. Ltd. of Japan at the
commission office.  They discussed the rights and opportunities under Foreign
Investment Law when they undertake hydel-power production.

(B)		Minister for Industry-1 received Representative & Manager Mr. Liang Ding
Gui and party of Wai Hung Machineries & Trading Ltd. of the People's Republic
of China at his office. 
 
(C)		Minister at the Chairman of the Office of State Peace and Development
Council Brig-Gen Abel received Heir Apparent of Tonga HRH Tupouto's and party
at his office.  They cordially discussed cooperation and friendly relations
between the two countries.
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