Education indicators (Myanmar/Burma)

Participation is low with just one quarter of the relevant age group completing basic education (primary to upper secondary, currently an 11-year programme). Quality is also an issue due to large class sizes (average pupil-teacher ratio in secondary education: 34), as well as outdated teaching methods and curricula (e.g. corporal punishment and rote-learning are common practices). Secondary pupils are handicapped by the use of English as a medium of instruction in subjects such as maths and sciences. While literacy rates are relatively high at 93%, tests carried out in primary schools found that just one in four pupils had achieved minimum competency in Myanmar language, and only one in five had achieved at least half the skills on the mathematics curriculum.