It has been a two-fold blow for Aung Myint Myat. First it was the COVID-19 pandemic. Then it was the military coup.
The 20-year-old Yangon resident recalls that he was dreaming of going to university and getting a good job afterwards. But he didn’t even have the chance of stepping foot on the university campus.
Aung Myint Myat’s travails reflect the despair of many young people battered by circumstances outside their control.
As he told Mizzima, employers want to see a degree.
“The employers in this country pay more attention to the degree certificate rather than ability. Currently, I am taking the GTC. After graduating in 2019, I had a dream of attending a university and obtaining a degree. When I was about to attend university, the COVID-19 pandemic started. Thus, I waited for the reopening as the university was closed. At least, there was still the possibility of it reopening,” he said.
“However, when the military took over power in February 2021, there was no hope anymore. We literally lost our future. I participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and protest against the military junta. However, the responsibility rested on my shoulders as I am the eldest son among five family members. Even though I looked for a job, I only had a high school certificate which was not usable. The reality of this country is that jobs are prioritized for people who have graduated.”
As Aung Myint Myat notes, employers want to see a degree. Those seeking work without this piece of paper have to accept the dregs when it comes to work.
With responsibilities to help support his family, Aung Myint Myat worked selling fruit juices at a market on the weekends, but rising commodity prices eventually made that untenable, and he ended up working as a delivery man.
“I applied for many jobs actually. There were some people who did not want to hire me as I participated in the protests. It is not even clear anymore that the act of boycotting – excluding from society – is to be done to those unjust bullies,” he said.
“It is a very difficult time for every youth everywhere. We do not know when we will be living comfortably with enough salary. Even though it is far from my dream, I am still dreaming. Everything started with this unjustified coup,” he noted.
Myanmar’s education system is in dire straits. Many young people have lost out on three years of potential education, and cannot afford private education. The public education system has been severely disrupted, with the system under the control of the junta, which many people abhor.
The National Unity Government is trying to help, but at this stage what online education they can provide focuses on the needs of elementary students, not university students.
Aung Myint Myat stated that he did not regret participating in the CDM or protest even though he lost the opportunity of achieving a degree and getting a good job.
“If you ask me whether I regret participating in CDM, my answer is no. This is what every student should do. There are many students, who are used to the old system, learning under the military junta. It is wrong to think that your education cannot be delayed at this time. It is because the standard of education system of Myanmar is practically very low. It is not an impressive thing to obtain a degree from the junta. I would rather do self-study on subjects I am interested in and settle up for my living. There are some who get jobs after graduation. However, if we look closely, the amount of the salary is very low. They are satisfied with what they get,” he said.
“Under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, there were many job opportunities for young people, such as part time jobs. The concept of doing CDM is just like turning a new page – a new system. Thus, I do not regret my decision,” Aung Myint Myat said.
Following the coup, there are uncertainties surrounding education.
The junta has reopened the universities and 40 per cent of students are attending. Some attending students are worried they won’t get a certificate or so-called “meal ticket” for life.
For some youth, they are attending university because they cannot oppose their parents.
Aung Myint Myat fears standards are dropping, with universities taking in youngsters with low points, just to bolster numbers.
Experts believe that Myanmar will decline if there are fewer educated people. The education system is the lowest among ASEAN countries.
Given all the disruption of the COVID-19 and now the crisis brought on by the military coup, there are fears that young people like Aung Myint Myat, who really want to be educated, have an uncertain future.
