NAY PYI TAW December 11
Utmost efforts should be made for the emergence of intellectuals, intelligentsia and good leaders who are reliable for the State and the Tatmadaw. As the Tatmadaw is a part of the nation and the Tatmadaw members were born of the people and it is also a part of the people continuous efforts are being made to acquire knowledge and technology for the Tatmadaw to become capable and energetic Armed Forces in protecting the interest of the State and the people as their reliable force, said Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the opening ceremony of Higher Education Centre of Defence Services Academy in PyinOoLwin this morning.
Present at the opening ceremony of the Higher Education Centre together with the Senior General were Union Minister for Defence Lt-Gen Sein Win, Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Mya Tun Oo, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), the commander of Central Command, the commandant of Defence Services Academy (DSA), the rectors and the principals of Mandalay University, Mandalay University of Computer Science, Mandalay University of Technology,University of Technology (Yadanabon Cyber City) and Mandalar Degree College, visiting trainers, lecturers and professors of the DSA, the retired senior military officers of the DSA, officials, officer trainers and trainee officers from PyinOoLwin Station and invited guests.
Firstly, the Senior General and party arrived at the venue where they cordially greeted the rectors and the principals of Mandalay University, Mandalay University of Computer Science, Mandalay University of Technology, University of Technology (Yadanabon Cyber City) and Mandalar Degree College, lecturers of the Defence Services Academy, the retired senior military officers of the Defence Services Academy and officials. The Senior General then opened the Higher Education Centre of the Defence Services Academy and unveiled its stone inscription. Afterwards, the Senior General and attendees sprinkled scented waterat them.
In his speech, the Senior General said as “knowledge is the prestige for the race which ensures higher standard of living and dignity”, today is the age of knowledge. Only if it has an abundant array of persons with higher knowledge will the Union of the Republic of Myanmar be developed in multiple sectors including political, economic, education, social, administrative, defence and technology fields and be standing tall among the world nations.
Learning centres, universities, classrooms, reading rooms, practical lessons, libraries and teaching aids are essential for ensuring a peaceful learning environment for teachers who will teach advanced education and students. The Higher Education Centre was once called DSA teaching centre (post graduate) or Sarpay-2. As a post-graduate centre, it opened its master’s degree course No. 1 on 17 June 1996 with seven officer candidates, and till now it has opened 18 courses bringing out 3535 master’s degree holders. At present 150 officer trainees are pursuing education at the centre.
Similarly, officers are sent to doctorate degree courses in the universities in Yangon and Mandalay.
The centre opened its doctorate degree course No.1 with 21 officers on 8 June, 2004. During the time, 11 doctoral students in Yangon were transferred to DSA, and they were conferred on the PhD at the DSA. Till now, the centre is conducting 16 doctorate courses and produced 281 PhD holders. At present 93 are attending doctorate degree courses.
Development of nation is measured with Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the contribution ratios of the three sectors – agriculture, industry and the services sectors — are managed in accord with the objective conditions of the country. Scientists and electronic and techno-logical experts are the essential part of the said three sectors. So also, visionary experts in arts, economics and management, with good administration abilities, are also essential. Likewise, a modern Tatmadaw needs a large number of experts in arts or science. People having language skills are important in the international relations. Acquiring knowledge and technology through multiple fields is more comprehensive than learning them in a single field. Countries such as Russia, Japan and China are industrial countries and are in the forefront of the technical and technological fields. So, we need to acquire much knowledge from them.
Language courses are being conducted to reach this end. Till now, one-year Russian, English, Chinese and Japanese diploma courses are being conducted, and 695 have received diplomas. Now, 210 are attending the courses.
Three master’s degree programs for public administration have so far been run and two courses have produced 40 graduates and 41 trainees are attending the courses at the moment.
I believe that building better facilities and environment in education can enhance physical and mental well-being of trainees. This building includes lecture rooms, discussion rooms, language labs, a modern
library and a hall that can accommodate more than 1,000 people.
Better learning alone will not be enough and it is important to nurture qualified scholars who meet international standards and keep abreast of other countries. I fully believe that a doctorate degree holder deserves his or her qualifications and so does a Master’s degree holder. Therefore, three conferences with local and foreign academics have so far been held for science and technological development. I am proud of the academy to have held conferences recognized as complete success. A total of 392 papers that meet international standards and posters have been read out at the academy and future conferences will be held at this hall and related buildings.
As the Tatmadaw has the responsibility not only to learn advanced disciplines but also to build the country and to defend it at the national level, the Nation Defence College is nurturing highly competent leaders who can combine political perspective, military perspective, economic perspective and administrative perspective.
To contribute to the path of democracy chosen in accordance with the will of the people, the Tatmadaw is discharging its national politics duty by sending highly competent and seasoned Tatmadaw representatives to respective Hluttaws.
As the Tatmadaw is a part of the nation and Tatmadawmen were born of the people as one of their parts, it is necessary for the Tatmadaw to be a reliable and efficient Armed Forces for the people in order to protect the interests of the country and the people by constantly making efforts to acquire knowledge and technologies.
I am proud of and fully appreciate the efforts of rectors, professors, teachers and demonstrators who have nurtured qualified leaders and scholars in accordance with the responsibilities of teachers such as teaching skills, giving guidance, teaching sciences, protecting pupils and advising. I would like to urge them to continue to nurture highly competent new generation leaders and scholars based on love and good wishes and to take measures for themselves to be able to enjoy higher living standards.
I would like to urge all to help preserve the Higher Education Centre we have opened today and try as hard as possible to acquire advanced education needed by the country by using this centre. I would like to urge all to help nurture reliable scholars and leaders for the country and the Tatmadaw.
Afterwards, the commandant of the academy presented gifts to Yangon Engineering Group Co, Ltd and Naung Ton Construction, which built the centre.
Then, the Senior General warmly greeted the retired teachers, guests, trainee officers and instructors and asked the trainees about their learning experience. After-wards, the Senior General and party and guests viewed round the meeting rooms, lecture rooms, libraries and inspected the learning condition of trainee officers.
Then, the Senior General hosted a luncheon of honour to participants at the opening ceremony.
