The MRTV broadcast round table discussion in quest of creating beautiful, decent and pleasant campuses. The panelists at the discussion are Dr. Kyaw Kyaw Khaung, Rector of East Yangon University, Dr. Maung Maung Naing, Rector of Yadanabon University, Dr. Moe Pwint, Rector, University of Computer Studies in Mandalay (UCSM), Dr. Aung Win, acting Rector of University of Technology in Mandalay (Yatanapon Cyber City), U Aung Myat Soe, Principal of Taungoo Education College.
Moderator: Please share the response of the students over the arrangements of creating a pleasant campus environment.
Dr. Kyaw Kyaw Khaung: The students are very much active and enthusiastic in the a pleasant campus environment and for quality education along with their peers.
While entering the 21st century, the students always keep in touch with the ICT and have wide ranging vision, for that we need to encourage them. We are ready to support and encourage them when they bring in the outside educational activities if the tasks are on the right track, and we always keep the door open for them.
On behalf of the government, our university has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Danish Embassy in Yangon for the establishment of Human Rights Resource Center (HRRC) organized by Danish Institute of Human Right (DIHR) at Dagon University and East Yangon University.
The main purpose of the HRRC is to raise awareness on human rights issues and knowledge, and it is so far only two universities have equipped with that facilities and learning. Therefore, the library at the East Yangon University has accommodate the Human Rights Resource of the DIHR, where the law students and other related students and the faculty members visited there for the purpose of study. The students of other universities that are yet to establish the Human Right Resource Center could visit the Home Page of the Yangon East University to have access on the books.
At the moment, the human rights knowledge is very much vital and critical for the students, and therefore, the law students discussed and agreed with the librarian in having access to Human Rights Resource Center by assigning duty with voluntary tasks for the dissemination of human rights knowledge as well as law and order knowledge among the students.
We are also providing moral support and encouraging them to have good habits and moral characters. Their participations for the creation of a pleasant campus environment are very much plausible.
Moderator: What are the requirements in creating a pleasant learning campus?
Dr. Aung Win: The main requirement in creating decent learning atmosphere is to have physical basic structure; and that it is to be based on the existing educational prototype and the future possible pattern.
The existing long benches, the lined up rows and the division of columns are not in conformity and accord in support of the 21st century skills, and it is time to transform the class rooms in accommodating the group formation with the aim to fan and roll out the necessary activities.
Aiming at the 21st century skills, the structural format is to be designed with maker-spaces, similar to the universities in the foreign countries with the maker-spaces, the sub-laboratory, and the factory classroom. The maker-space is equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, various milling devices, and many more.
It is therefore, we need to consider the future patterns and structures of universities in the country with the formal, the informal and the gathering space, keeping in mind that a university is much similar to a small town. Only then it would be beneficial and positive for both the students and the faculty members, and therefore, physical infrastructure modification and reform is needed.
Moderator: We would like to hear from U Aung Myat Soe.
U Aung Myat Soe: In pursuit of higher learning, the curriculum, the effective teaching and learning techniques play a vital role. We must create quality education based on .strong and solid physical infrastructure with fine curriculum, syllabus and teaching – learning paradigm.
The pattern and prototype of teaching – learning aspect should include that of thinking skills, that of more interactions, that of entrepreneurial skills, that of smart mind, that of project oriented learning, that of problem oriented learning, that of case study based learning, so that the students would be able to convert from passive learning to active learning.
In order to make the physical infrastructure more efficiency and instrumental, the necessary items such as chemicals, apparatuses and equipments are to be added to the practical laboratory.
Moreover, it is to back up with the necessary utilities such as Makerspace, metal working, wood working, prototyping, electronic shop, print making, and ceramics in the practical laboratory, and that adding up with the informal gathering space would be much better.
Effective education
Putting together in the course of the integrated design project and diverse learning, it would make the higher education more attractive, as the different and varied subjects and students could interact in positive way of cooperation for beneficial results.
In the allocation of time for the teaching – learning process, more time must be allowed for the access to library as it would be advantages to students. For instance, when assignments are given on subject wise as necessary, the students may inevitably have to use the normal library as well as e-Library, and most likely they would be using the online resource and relevant information, which would result with better and beneficial higher learning.
In this regards, the educational colleges are fostering and nurturing quality teachers with quality education as they are actually needed at the basic education sphere for the young kids.
Therefore, the curriculum and syllabus should be on a par with the international standard and norm, as the teachers being trained from the educational colleges would be surely assigned at the schools with the methodology of child center approach (CCA).
The students are to be imparted with the learner center approach (LCA), and also to be injected with the hard skills and soft skills, for which they are to be handed down to the young kids in the future.
Moreover, the personalized modular education must also be created in the genuine higher learning, so that cool and nice learning environment and campus could be realized.
Moderator: What are the feedback and assistances being provided from the side of the students?
Dr. Kyaw Kyaw Khaung: In creating a nice and decent campus, it could never be realized by the rector and the faculty members, it needs the cooperation and collaboration of teachers’ union, students’ union and other social associations to work together in unity.
The students rising up in this world in 21st century have already changed their attitude, approach, mindset and the way of thinking. The faculty members have to shoulder heavier responsibility apart from normal teaching as they now have become the resource person.
Today, the students are holding the mobile phones and have access to Internet, and understand well on the subjects that they are studying and also the activities that they have involved in the pursuit of higher education.
The university administrative body, the faculty members, and the students must take part with constructive and optimistic approach in the endeavor for the creation of nice and cool campus.
At the moment, all the universities are functioning with the budget allocation of the government, and that the Ministry of Education is trying to pave the way and seeking fine arrangements in making the universities to stand up with independent status.
At a time, when the universities could functions independently, then the role of the students would every much vital and crucial in the campus. Therefore, when they have joined the activities in the task of creating the campus for a nice and cool atmosphere, we welcomed them very cordially.
At this juncture, the relevant ministries are kindly requested to provide necessary assistances and approvals with regards to the welfare and the greater good of the students being requested by the university administration bodies, such as that of housing for the staff members, that of sports facilities, that of teaching materials and teaching aids.
As of now, (134) universities have been shifted to the Ministry of Education, and therefore, the collective force and strength of universities is very much significance for the future of the nation and also very much aspiring.
Therefore, I would like to wrap up with the Myanmar saying that the joining of hands between the teachers and the parents would bring in the quality education, and therefore, the creation of decent, satisfactory environment of campus needs the unity and harmony between the faculty members and the students.
Moderator: Thank you all for sharing the views.
Translated by UMT (Ahlon)
