Bria McDaniel Government support and policies of education: Myanmar

Bria McDaniel

Government support and policies of education: Myanmar Blog 1

Summary

College students in Myanmar are protesting in response to a new law that the government put into place to stop them from engaging in political activities. The government tried to say that political organizations were behind the protest. This peaceful protest began on January 20th this year. The students are trying to have a discussion with the government, but their plans to meat with them were put on hold because of a disagreement on how many students could attend this discussion. Not only are faculty and students involved in the protest, but so are Buddhist monks. They have also gained the support of the public and the opposing party of the current party in power. This is a brave move for the students to make because in the past, the government has used military force to suppress the college protesters.

Analysis

Many of America's movements such as the civil rights movement and the Vietnam protest were fueled by the voices of college students. Some might say that it too distracting for the college students to be involved in politics. In many cases I believe that the involvement of politics in their education will only catalyze their learning experience. Many people go to college to not only get a good job, but to make a difference. Protesting and political involvement gives them on the field training on how to make a difference in their cities, provinces, country and world. Education is not just about regurgitating facts and solving mathematical equations. There is no point in doing that if you can not help anyone with them. In order to help a community effectively and for the long term, it is inevitable for these students to have a say so in what the government that controls their community does. Controlling a college students political involvement is only the tip of the iceberg. If the government is controlling their voice, what is stopping them from controlling what is in their textbooks and what they are allowed to learn?

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmar-government-student-protest-threatens-stability-28747420