The latest thmst ofthe reforms was initiated in the Fiscal Year 2001-
2002 through the 30-Year Long Term Education Development Plan, which
followed on and was integrated with the Special 4-Year Plan for Education
initiated in Fiscal Year 2000-2001 (Ministry of Education 2003: 1).
Among the tasks identified in the long-term national plan for education
(Ministry of Education 2001: 18-19) are the following:
• to create the necessary stmcture for the establishment of an open
education system that will promote lifelong and continuing education
and produce highly qualified human resources needed by
the nation and the community;
• to establish an education system that will produce persons with
all round knowledge, possess originality, creativity, maturity,
analytical skills, ability to grasp and utilize modem technology.
98 Regional Language Centre Journal 36.1 (2005)
ability to fulfill community needs and possess patriotism, union
spirit and civic sense;
• to universalize primary education (UPE);
• to create an education structure with two streams, one providing
formal education and the other, through human resource development
centres, providing job-related education programmes;
• to revise and reform curricula for all levels of education; and
• to consolidate the use ofthe new assessment system in schools
and the redefining of basic education completion and the restructuring
ofthe university entrance examination;
• to consolidate the use of a credit system for institutions of higher
education;
• to utilize information and communication technology in teaching,
leaming, research, information dissemination and gathering
information;
• to set up multimedia classrooms for improving the teachinglearning
process;
• to fulfill the need for improved physical facilities including language
laboratories and science laboratories;
• to produce audio and video teaching materials based on the curricula
using up-to-date equipment and studios;
• to reduce constraints and to provide more educational opportunities
and choices and to establish a self-sustained system in the
management of higher education establishments;
• to increase cooperation between Myanmar education departments
and organization and those of Southeast Asia; and
• to increase contacts and cooperation between Myanmar higher
education institutions and Southeast Asian and international universities
and institutions