THE opening ceremony of the Sports and Education Combined Training Course for the 2025–2026 academic year was held yesterday at the Sports and Physical Education Institute (Taunggyi) in Shan State. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Jeng Phang Naw Taung, Shan State Chief Minister U Aung Aung, the chief justice of the State High Court, state government members, departmental officials and guests attended the event.
In his opening address, the Union minister stated that Myanmar has been consistently organizing these integrated training programmes with annual budget allocations to promote national sports development through the growth of sports and physical education institutions. He highlighted that the number of Sports and Physical Education Institutes has expanded to six, including the
one in Taunggyi. For the 2024- 2025 academic year, training was provided to 91 students in seven sports disciplines up to Grade 11, and for this academic year, training will continue up to Grade 12 with 120 students.
Following this, the Shan State chief minister delivered a speech and presented sports equipment and food supplies, including rice and cooking oil donated by the Shan State government. These items were received by the director-general of the Department of Sports and Physical Education and relevant officials.
Afterwards, individual donors contributed monetary donations, which were received by the State Minister for Social Affairs, who then presented certificates of honour. A group photo was taken to commemorate the occasion.
The Union minister then visited the school’s multipurpose hall and addressed the principal, staff, and trainees. He also inspected the 400-metre running track and volleyball court, as well as the judo and taekwondo halls, dormitories, classrooms, dining hall and the school clinic.
Subsequently, the Union minister attended the opening ceremony of the 2025 Inter-State and Region Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the Shan State Training Sports Hall. He delivered an opening speech and inaugurated the competition. He also watched a match between the Nay Pyi Taw men’s volleyball team and the Kayah State men’s volleyball team. — Maung Maung Than (TGI)/KZL
