( 1 ) Improvement of education basic need to nurture youth of border areas

Increase in number of educated persons helps widen knowledge scope, uplift qualification and morale Success achieved in implementing five rural development tasks contributes to accelerating national progress

Senior General Than Shwe meets UDNR students

Yangon, 29 Jan - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe gave guidance to the trainees of primary teachership course No 34 of the University for Development of National Races at Pyuthu Luttaw at 9 am today.

Present on the occasion were Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, members of the State Peace and Development Council, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), the Commander-in-Chief (Air), the Chairman of the Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command, ministers, the Attorney-General, the Auditor-General, the Chairman of Civil Service Selection and Training Board, the director-general of the State Peace and Development Council Office and departmental heads, the trainees, rector and supervisor teachers.

Director-General of the State Peace and Development Council Office Lt-Col Pe Nyein acted as master of ceremonies. First, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe gave guidance to the trainees. Senior General Than Shwe said: You have come to the university with the aim of becoming an intellectual and to serve as an education staff in your own region.

You should not forget your original aim when you have completed your studies and begin discharging duties as an education staff in your region. With the education you have gained at the university, you should strive for progress of your region and to promote the education standard of the children. Globalization is in progress due to the rapid advancement of science and technology. If we fail to acquire the advancing science and technologies to apply them for progress of the nation and the people, we will be left behind in the process of globalization.

At a time when the science and technologies are the dominant factor and the globalization is in progress, the persons who are to play a key role in developing the nation and serve the national interests should be intellectuals equipped with advanced educations. The government is launching the education reform programmes covering the entire nation including the remote border areas to uplift the nation's education standard and narrow the education gap between the rural and urban areas. Improvement in the education is the basic need in nurturing youth of border regions to be in accord with the national requirement.

Increase in the number of educated persons will contribute to widen the scope of knowledge and uplift the qualification and spirit to strive for progress of the respective communities and regions. You will have to educate the children of the border areas and at the same time you are required to lead and organize the local people to help them successfully implement the government's national education promotion programmes and produce intellectuals. Only then will the education gap between urban and rural areas, border areas and other regions can be eliminated. The Union will also gain harmonious progress. As we are a developing country, we, the entire nation, should strive harmoniously with zeal, perseverance, strenuous efforts and effective programmes to enable the nation to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world nations.

Thus, the government is striving from all sectors for rapid progress of the Union of Myanmar. Peace and stability of the State is the most basic factor for national development. Hence, the government is making strenuous efforts to consolidate national solidarity for prevalence of peace and stability. We are a Union which is home to over 100 national races. Throughout history which is countable by years in the thousand, the national races have lived in weal or woe, depending on each other in the territory of the nation. Till today, they have lived together most closely in all parts of the Union. Thanks to unity and farsightedness of our forefathers, our country has existed as a united and firm Union and not as separate small nations for over 2000 years.

We have accepted this historical heritage and consolidated national solidarity to protect and safeguard the nation for its perpetuity. Only when there is perpetual flourishing of national unity, will the entire nation be able to join hands to strive for national progress. Thus, you are required to strive for further strengthening of national unity and vitalization of Union spirit for prevalence of peace and stability in the Union. The nation will gain gradual progress as long as all the brethren are joining hands and working together in amity and unity for national development.

The government has built and is building a network of infrastructures including roads, bridges aross rivers, dams, and modern communication facilities in the entire nation. The infrastructures which are also being built in the border areas are the foundation for national progress. Moreover, it is laying the foundation, disseminating modern techniques and providing modern equipment for development of agricultural, livestock breeding and manufacturing sectors with a view to further developing the national economy. Hence, we have become a consolidated nation, and the national economy is achieving progress. At this opportune time, the government is exerting more efforts for progress of the foundations in the health, education and social sectors.

As such, the socio-economic standard is further improving. The five rural development tasks covering the border areas have been laid down and implemented to further enhance the development momentum of the nation. The five tasks are: development of rural transport; rural water supply; improvement of rural education standard; ensuring adequate rural health care services; development of agriculture and livestock breeding and economy of the rural areas. Success achieved in implementing the tasks has further enhance the national progress.

Therefore, I would like to urge you to actively take part in rural development measures in addition to performing your main duty of teaching. It is also necessary for you to organize not only the children but also the parents in trying to make sure that children in rural areas are literate, that all the children of school-going age go to school and that they complete their basic education. Moreover, you are required to make constant efforts for enabling young students to pursue higher education and for raising the education level of local people. As you all have been taught educational subjects as well as the fundamentals of economics and social sciences, you are now able to make an effective contribution to the development of agricultural, economic and livestock breeding work of rural people. Therefore, you will have to try and lend yourselves to the task of raising the economic life and living standard of the people in the regions where you are assigned duties. The national races of Myanmar have their own customs and traditional cultures. These customs and traditional cultures are basically similar to one another but they also have their own characteristics according to their ethnic groups as well as their regions.

 This being so, it is the duty of all the national races to make the traditions and cultures of various national races flourish harmoniously and to preserve them as the cultural heritage of the Union. As you all are going to be posted in the border areas, you have a moral obligation to promote and preserve the traditions and cultures of our national races and to ward off the penetration of alien cultures.

To sum up, as the graduates of the University for Development of National Races, you will have to organize and lead the local people in performing your educational duties as well as in working for rural development and perpetuation of the Union. In conlcusion, I would like to urge you all to carry out your duties well so as to be able to raise the educational standard of the children of the local national people and that of the whole region; to take an active part in regional development measures for the development of regional economy and the improvement of living standard of the local people, widening their scope of knowledge; for the perpetuation, peace and stability of the Union, to organize and lead the local people so that their national unity spirit and Union Spirit may be flourishing forever; to cherish and preserve the traditions and cultures of all the national races and try to ward off alien cultures and norms.

Then, on behalf of trainees, Maw Shan national Sai Aung Tun Latt of Leikha Township, Shan State (South) spoke. He said that the Government established the UDNR with the aim of promoting education standard and knowledge of the national races in border areas to enable them to participate in regional development tasks. The national races in different parts of the nation, imbued with the spirit to carry out those tasks, arrived at the university and pursued education in unison and in amity. Now, they will soon complete their courses and will shoulder the duties assigned by the State. It is a great pleasure for all of them since they are going to have the opportunities to engage in the tasks of promoting the social-economic life of local national races and to enable the national races of remote regions to pursue education like them.

 Their duties are not only important for promoting the living standard of the national races but also worthy of honour for them, he said. He assured that they are going to discharge the duties assigned with full goodwill in the interests of the State and national races as they are good sons and daughters being nurtured and trained by the State, he added. Myanmar is rich in natural resources. Though she is rich in natural resources she lagged behind in development till over a decade ago due to internal strife and insurgency occurred for various reasons after regaining independence. The national races also witnessed all kinds of troubles in the absence of peace in the past.

 Now, they gained favourable conditions to peacefully promote their living standard at will due to prevalence of peace owing to the endeavours and the goodwill of the State. They are to cherish and seriously safeguard peace resulting from the Government's loyalty to the State and the people. Realizing the goodwill and generosity of the State towards the national races they are to live in harmony and unity in the motherland and that can effect security and prosperity. At the same time, they, joining hands firmly, will be able to live together in the mother- land.

The Government, after laying down national objectives, has been making all-out efforts with the help of the national people to ensure emergence of a modern, peaceful and developed nation, he said. They realized the value of unity and the might of unity as success has been achieved in various sectors due to cooperation of national races. As much as political, economic and social objectives laid down by the State could be fully implemented there would surely emerge a modern peaceful and developed nation, and they will organize the people to actively take part in implementing those objectives. In the history of Myanmar, the national races grew up in the same land and drank water from the same source and lived in harmony with Union Spirit.

They fought back the danger posed to the nation unitedly and built the strong nation in unison. The nation fell under colonial servitude when the entire people did not pay serious attention to consolidation the national unity and they were not aware of the importance of proper preparations for national defence to be made. All have come to know that national unity plays a decisive role in the national affairs. In rebuilding the nation, the Government is taking measures for reducing the development gap among national races, strengthening the Union Spirit and national unity.

Taking the lesson of falling under colonial servitude the Government, holding the fact that the strength of the nation lies within, is making efforts for building a strong nation which could guard against the danger posed. Some big nations wishing our nation to be their subordinate are plotting with various means to disintegrate the Union by breaking national unity, he said. We all realized that we need to be united when they are trying so. We believed that all national races could guard against the danger of our nation through unity.

 The fine tradition of national unity essential for our nation to be perpetual among the nations of the world is to be handed over to the youths who will shoulder the State's duties in future. In conclusion, he said UDNR students were systematically nurtured and trained by the State. The university trained them to become qualified education personnel to be able to successfully perform the education tasks. They were taught practically develop- ment and special develop- ment subjects with a view to enabling them to become junior leaders of regional development. When they are shouldering duties, they will make efforts by systematic use of the subjects taught at the university in building the future nation and will try their best to be ones on whom the State can rely.

 Next, on behalf of the trainees, Kayah national Ma Devi Ri Moe of Pruhso Township, Kayah State, spoke. She expressed her pleasure for the opportunity to pay respects to the Head of State and high-ranking officials and for their serious guidance and all of them are to follow the guidelines with seriousness. She said the government is striving for equal development in the country while making efforts for emergence of a peaceful, modern developed nation. Border areas have now developed with greater momentum and living standard of the people has also improved.

 To raise the momentum, the strength of local educated youths was to be utilized. Reforms were made in education sector in order to produce educated persons in the whole country. Training and teaching at the UDNR were revised and we were nurtured to become good education staff within three years. Arrangements were made for pursuit of higher education by conducting the education diploma one year course and B.Ed two-year course. B.Ed four-year course was conducted beginning this academic year. At the end of the course the trainees would be B.Ed degree holders. They would teach national youths in far-flung areas who completed primary education and were unable to continue their studies in their middle schools.

The State's arrangements are meant for speedy development of border areas and national races and these arrangements are goodwill of the government for the trainees who will be participating in border areas development tasks. She said that all of them would nurture the national youths to become good and able educated persons who will be actively participating in border areas and national races development tasks while discharging duties with full cetena. She said education plays a vital role for development of a race. With high qualifications and correct thought, every citizen is to be able to undertake the tasks for development of the country and the people. With the intention of uplift of education of the entire people, an education system is now being implemented. Under the education promotion programmes, new generation youths are learning advanced science and technology to be intellectuals and intelligentsia with full patriotism.

 The government is making arrangements for turning out highly-qualified youths in the knowledge age to catch up with international community under the national education promotion special four-year plan. It is encouraging to note that there have been favourable conditions and the long-term national education plan is being implemented for progress of the education sector. Our national races are brilliant. The government fully believed that brilliant new generation youths with advanced science and technology and strength are able to establish a new modern nation. At a time when the government is making concerted efforts for all-round development of the education sector, the trainees are to participate in the sector as education staff and discharge the national duties, she said.

She said progress has been made in efforts for emergence of a peaceful, modern developed nation in cooperation with all national races under the leadership of the government. Endeavours are being made for more progress in the country in cooperation with a consolidated national organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. The USDA trained about ten million new generation youths to possess skill, qualifications, high morale and character and spirit of safeguarding national prestige and integrity. Members of the association with high quality will stand as a basic force on which the State relies. The USDA is an association that serves the national interest. We are members of USDA.

 Being members of the USDA, we are to take active part in the tasks of the association and to organize local national races and students to join the activities of the USDA. In conclusion, she said it is the duty of all national races to build and safeguard the nation. Our Three Main National Causes are essential for perpetuation of the nation among the nations of the world. It is accepted that all national races are to safeguard Our Three Main National Causes with strong Union Spirit. Every morning we recite the oaths, "We pledged to make concerted efforts for non-disintegration of the Union, we pledge to make concerted efforts for non-disintegration of national solidarity and we pledge to make concerted efforts for perpetuation of sovereignty.' She said she pledged to repay the gratitude of the State in the presence of the Head of State and high-ranking officials as good education personnel while safeguarding Our Three Main National Causes.

 Then, the ceremony came to a close at 9.45 am. After the ceremony, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe and party cordially greeted trainees and supervisor teachers.

Excerpts from Senior General Than Shwe's address

* At a time when the science and technologies are the dominant factor and the globalization is in progress, the persons who are to play a key role in developing the nation and serve the national interests should be intellectuals.

* As we are a developing country, we, the entire nation, should strive harmoniously with zeal, perseverance, strenuous efforts and effective programmes to enable the nation to stand shoulder to shoulder with world nations.

* Peace and stability of the State is the most basic factor for national development.

* Thanks to unity and farsightedness of our forefathers, our country has existed as a united and firm Union and not as separate small nations for over 2000 years.

* The government has built and is building a network of infrastructures including roads, bridges on rivers, dams, and modern communication facilities in the entire nation.

* It is laying the foundation, disseminating modern techniques and providing modern equipment for development of agricultural, livestock breeding and manufacturing sectors with a view to further developing the national economy.

 * The five rural development tasks covering the border areas have been laid down and implemented to further enhance the development momentum of the nation.

* As you all have been taught educational subjects as well as the fundamentals of economics and social sciences, you are now able to make an effective contribution to the development of agricultural, economic and livestock breeding work of rural people.

* It is the duty of all the national races to make the traditions and cultures of various national races flourish harmoniously and to preserve them as the cultural heritage of the Union.

 * As the graduates of the University for Development of National Races, you will have to organize and lead the local people in performing your educational duties as well as in working for rural development and perpetuation of the Union.

( 4 ) Minister U Soe Tha receives Chinese Ambassador

Yangon, 29 Jan -Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha received Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Li Jinjun at his office this afternoon. They discussed matters related to economic and technological cooperation between the two countries. Also present at the call were Deputy Minister for Health Dr Mya Oo and officials of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development.

Commerce Minister receives guests

Yangon, 29 Jan-Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Pyi Sone received Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Myanmar Mr Oleg V Kabanov and Chief Operating Officer Mr Pankaj Pandit of UE Trade Corporation Pte Ltd based in Myanmar at his office at 1 pm and 2 pm today respectively.

 Also present at the calls were Deputy Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan, Director-General of Directorate of Trade U Nyunt Aye, Director-General of Border Trade Department U Nay Win, Managing Director U Min Hla Aung of Myanma Agricultural Produce Trading and officials.

Minister receives Thai Senate Committee Chairman

 Yangon, 29 Jan - Minister for Labour U Tin Winn received Chairman of Senate Committee of Thailand Mr Wallop Tangkananurak and party at his office of Pyithu Hluttaw Building at 11 am today. Also present at the call were Director-General of the Labour Department U Soe Nyunt and officials.

( 5 )  UMFCCI President receives Ambassador of Butan

Yangon, 29 Jan - President of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry U Win Myint and Joint General Secretary-2 Dr Maung Maung Lay received Ambassador of Bhutan, with the residence in Bangkok, Mr Lyonpo C Dorji at the federation this morning. They cordially discussed matters related to trade and investment, export and import and exchange of business delegations between the two countries.

Minister receives Ambassador

Yangon, 29 Jan - Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung received Ambassador of Bhutan to Myanmar, Mr Lyonpo C Dorji at his office on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road this afternoon. Also present at the call were Deputy Ministers Brig-Gen Thein Tun and Brig-Gen Kyaw Win, the directors-general and the managing directors of the departments and enterprises under the ministry.

( 6 ) Gifts for Early Childhood Devt Centre

Yangon, 29 Jan - A ceremony to donate shoes for the Early Childhood Development Centre of the Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association was held at the MMCWA at the corner of Thanthuma Road and Parami Road in South Okkalapa Township this morning. Present on the occasion were Chairperson of MMCWA Prof Daw Kyu Kyu Swe, Vice-Chairperson Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe, central executives committee members and wellwishers. Chairperson Prof Daw Kyu Kyu Swe accepted 210 pairs of shoes for children donated by Vice-Chairperson Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe and presented a certificate of honour to the wellwisher. Then, the Vice-Chairperson accepted two sets of air-conditioner worth K 535,000 donated by U Thein Oo-Daw Khin Khin Sein (Thitsa Pankhin Family) and presented a certificate of honour to the wellwishers. Later, the chairperson spoke words of thanks.

UNDR trainees continue excursion in Yangon

Yangon, 29 Jan - To study nation-building tasks and modernization and development achievements, trainees of Primary Teachership Course No 34 of the University for Development of National Races led by Pro-rector Daw Khin Si Si, together with supervisors and teachers, continued their excursion here today. The trainees arrived at the Pyithu Hluttaw Building on Pyay Road here at 10 am today.

At the meeting hall, Director U Win Myint of the Office of the Pyithu Hluttaw Building extended greetings and explained about the functions at the building. Senior Engineer (Architecture) U Htay Myint explained about the building, and Director U Ye Hla Myat about the electro-voting system. Then, on behalf of the trainees, two girls presented a commemorative pennant to Director U Win Myint and a trainee spoke words of thanks. Then, they viewed around the building. Next, the trainees proceeded to the Yangon Zoological Gardens, where they were welcomed by Chairman of the Yangon Zoological Gardens Administration Committee U Sein Win and officials. Secretary U Khin Thein extended greetings and Gardens administrator U Myint Nyein explained about the Gardens. Then, the trainees presented a commemorative pennant to the administrator, who also presented a souvenir to them. A trainee spoke words of thanks. Later, staff of the zoological Gardens entertained the trainees with snake-dance and elephant-dance, and lunch was also hosted to them. Afterwards, the excursion team viewed the Gardens.

Central Committee for Scrutinizing Video Services meets

Yangon, 29 Jan - The meeting (1/2002) of the Central Committee for Scrutinizing Video Services of Myanma Motion Picture Enterprise of the Ministry of Information was held at MMPE Head Office in Bahan Township here today. It was attended by Deputy Minister for Information Brig-Gen Aung Thein, Chairman of the central committee Managing Director of MMPE U Bo Kyi and members. First, Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Aung Thein delivered an opening address. Then, members of MMPE approved the minutes of the meeting (4/2001).

Secretary of the central committee Director of MMPE U Thein Tun Aung reported on promotion of video services and increase of income in the third three-month period of 2001-2002 fiscal year, breaking of video services rules and regulations and taking action against those involved in illegal business. Then, a general round of discussions followed, and the meeting ended with the deputy minister's concluding remarks.