21 April

Last week, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Sports announced that they would increase cooperation to promote healthier lifestyles and habits among the youth, and especially students. This is very welcoming news to grace our Myanmar New Year.

The Union Education Minister included in his speech details on how the two ministries would work together to make schools and universities completely free of drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol, instilling a healthy lifestyle and habits in students, reducing injuries from traffic and vehicle accidents, to incorporate reproductive health education in the curriculum and do away with habits of playing too many electronic games.

According to the Union Minister, the effort will be conducted through a national movement, so the ministry urges all people throughout the country to do their part to push this effort forward. We must work together to make sure drugs, cigarettes and alcohol stay away from our children, and that we impart knowledge to the youth about leading healthy lives.

The MoE will be in the forefront of the movement and the MoHS will provide necessary support, along with other ministries and organizations that will participate. Without a doubt, some of the central players for this movement will be the faculties and administrators of educational institutions across Myanmar, in addition to the various school committees, teacher councils and student councils. Their cooperation and genuine kindness will be instrumental in persuading and guiding students and their parents on the right path.

Student tendencies to try alcohol or drugs are a matter of habit, which is not hard to correct while they are still in school. We must show students that schools are not just about passing tests and obtaining certificates or degrees. Students must see that these institutions prepare them for the future. The youths must understand that drugs and alcohol can seriously impede, if not derail, their education and, consequently, the skills they will acquire to make a living.

Our country’s situation requires us to ensure our youth grow into valuable and dependable human resources that will drive the nation’s progress and development. It’s estimated that 67 per cent of the total population will be at a working age in the next 15 years. With such a large proportion of the nation poised to carry most of the country’s jobs, we must begin to teach the youth how to be productive, accountable and free from addictions. Doing so will make our shared future that much brighter.

GNLM