A State Scholars Seminar in England

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

It was hot and humid July in nineteen sixty seven (1967)

Burmese state scholars were seething with discontent then

Responsible persons of the Burmese Government listened

The situations confronting the students may get out of hand.

So a conference was called by the Burmese Association in the UK

To defuse the volatile situation and to solve the problems of the day

It was agreed to convene a State Scholars Conference or Seminar

It would be held in Burmese Embassy supported by the Ambassador.

(Burmese Embassy at 19 A Charles Street W1 London, England))

The Burmese Ambassador was Patron of the Burmese Association

Military and Cultural Attaches were President and Vice President

General Secretary was K.M. Phone Ko, a PG student of engineering

I was an executive committee member for medicine and always present.

(Royal College of Surgeons of England at Lincoln's Inn's Fields)

The Educational Seminar was held on 17^th and 18^th of July

It was held on the premises of the Burmese Embassy in style

The Embassy staff provided food and lodging for the scholars

The costs of travel and lodging were paid for by the ambassador.

(Royal College of Physicians London)

HE the Burmese Ambassador opened the conference

He urged every one to talk without diffidence and hindrance

This was echoed by President of BAUK Colonel Thein Doke

He said present day state scholars were future leaders and Burma’s hope.

(Moorfields Eye Hospital in London)

More than one hundred scholars attended the seminar

We divided them into four chapters or groups to confer

One dealt with medical education, second engineering

It was combined with science subjects for discussion

The third group focused on marine science and shipping

The fourth chapter was open for general topics in education.

(Snaked Lamp Post of the Royal Society of Medicine

in London, England)

U Thet Tun was the educational attaché or counselor

But he did not speak much and he was a back room burner

Khin Maung Phone Ko talked a lot as was his character

Plant pathologist Dr Toe Hlaing was close second as orator

The medical group was older more populous and popular

Many doctors spoke, joked and jeered at the vernaculars.

(University of London Senate House)

Medical Section was chaired by Drs Khin Maung Sein and Thein Maung

Dr Tin Tun (Railways) and I acted as emcee and secretary all along

I did the principal tasks of explaining, recording and writing of all that was said

After initial hesitation and trepidation many people really opened their chests

Colonel Thein Doke’s encouragement to say frankly had good desired effect

He said no one would be punished for whatever was said made scholars blessed

He told them to think boldly like opening skiing rigs in snowing Kachin chilly sites

He said Burma is the only SEA country that can provide skiing and scuba dives.

(University College London England)

I read a paper on doing research for Ph.D. in basic sciences

I told them important thing was to get a seat for attendance

That probation period was important to get research to go ahead

One must work diligently day and night until officially matriculated

Then you could flow along in the research stream without difficulty

You must show your findings and discussed with mentor frequently.

(Imperial College London England)

I then dwelt on the necessity for preparing a candidate before he came

What to read and what to do in Burma to prepare for the game even same

That was the rigors of research works in UK in the present days (Those days)

He or she must work to the satisfaction of the supervisor wherever he forayed.

(University of Liverpool England)

I then told them getting a Ph.D. was not the end of the study

It was just the beginning in one’s career chosen as a life journey

One must continue to do research, teach and train others as multiplier

Thus multiplying the number and nuances of workers in one’s area

A person should not be the only one learned about a subject in Burma

One should aim for the growth of one’s field of study wider and worthier.

(University of Edinburgh Old College)

I therefore proposed for all scholars to get their PG degrees

To learn for what is being done abroad for increasing their activities

To train the local people in Burma with a view to sending further study

That related technicians should be trained and sent abroad if necessary

In other words, I was suggesting our own postgraduate courses to begin

Once we had a collection of critical mass of experts and technicians.

(University of Exeter Royal Agricultural College)

Many participants agreed with my proposals and suggestions

They came on the stage and said so willingly without wincing

The speakers included Dr Thar Hlaing Major Tun Nyo, Dr Thein Maung

Drs Hta Kyu, Khin Ma Gyi, Thane Htay Pe, U Tin Aung and Dr Za Khawng

They all agreed that Burma was at the back water of medical education

We must strive to catch up with others once we’re back in our nation.

(Greenwich Naval Village, England)

There were papers and discussion on other subjects too

The FRCS course for ear, nose and throat diseases was through

The psychiatrist training was just beginning needing the momentum

Clinical psychologists should be trained simultaneously as addendum

State scholars for MRCP and FRCS should still be selected and sent

An internal M.Sc. course would be opened when experts were sufficient.

(An Ocean Going Vessel at Greenwich Village)

Other chapters or groups also discussed more or less similarly

They were more circumvent and careful than the medical faculty

Dr Soe Win, U Aung Myint, Tin Maung Thein and all discussed

Dr Toe Hlaing, Phone Ko and Dr Sein Tun had been smart;

Overall they were discontented with what they were enjoying

From inadequate Burmese State Scholar’s pay to spying from within

That was right scholars had informers among them while studying.

They wished to study freely with adequate facilities and funding.

(A Burmese Meal Composed of Cooked Rice and Several Dishes)

At long last we had a final plenary session to vent our feelings as such

HE Ambassador U Hla Maung came and gave the concluding remarks

He was glad that state scholars had spoken courageously and constructively

With courage, sincerity, sympathy and good will for the country

He would sign and send the recommendations to the Government

Colonel Thein Doke then said similarly although he was more eloquent

He said he would see to it that our suggestions were instantly implemented

He would report and recommend in details what had been transacted.

Dr Maung Maung Nyo M.B.,B.S. (Rgn), Ph.D.(London)

U Thet Tun thanked the scholars for their time and active participation

He was struck by the enthusiasm and patriotism in communications

He recalled a similar educational seminar held in London in the 1950s

But it was done by state scholars not supported by the Burmese Embassy

It was chaired by Dr Nyi Nyi while studying for Ph.D. now Education Secretary

U Thet Tun was then the secretary of the seminar and master of ceremony

He said the present seminar was more lively more objective and more factual

He hoped the future state scholars would benefit very much from these proposals.

(Institute of Medicine 1, Lanmadaw, Rangoon, Burma)

I would say that the seminar gave an impetus to every one concerned

Because after most of them had returned from the United Kingdom

Postgraduate courses were begun in medicine, agriculture and other areas

Where there were none before as our facilities were limited in Burma

Besides we started producing research papers read at conferences

Professional peers began to see the improvement of ours as excellent.

(The Convocation Hall of the Old University of Rangoon, the Symbol

of Higher Education and Learning in Burma)

It was the spring of Burmese education in the 1970s and early 80s

Before the state scholars of the 1960s had dwindled and dysrophied

As there was no more fresh blood sent abroad to catch up with the world

In fact, our batch of state scholars grew old, funds were dried and all dithered

The whole country was declared one of the least developed countries as rated

People became poorer, workers and students discontented and demonstrated

The rest is history as degradation of education and abolition of state scholarships

Burma has been down in gutter with education, economics and employment fix.

(London House, Mecklenburg Square WC 1, London, England

Where MMN Lived)

However, I still miss the State Scholars Conference in London

It was fun follies friendship and once-in-a-life-time colloquium

We talked we argued we discussed and delivered goods with good will

So that we would not be backward cajoled and jeered by developed countries

It did not come to “naught”, all our efforts not wasted as you could see clearly

We now have M.Sc. and Ph.D. courses in both basic sciences and clinical fields

We professionals have done as much for the good of the people and country

What is needed is for the government to fulfill its duties to the Burmese people fully!

(The Great Shwedagon Pagoda at Night)

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

12.03.2009 (original)

Note: State Scholars attending the seminar in London in July 1967

1. Dr Khin Maung Sein 2. Dr Thar Hliang 3. Dr Thein Maung 4. Dr Tin Tun

5. Major Tun Nyo 6. Dr Za Khawng 7. Dr Thane Htay Pe 8. Dr Hta Kyu

9. Dr Khin Ma Gyi 10. Dr Khin Kyi 11. Dr Khin Kyi Kyi 12. Dr Than Aung

13. Dr Myo Khaing 14. Dr Zaw Win 15. Dr R. Myo Myint 16. Dr Mathew Lim

17.Dr Par Mauk 18. Tin Aung 19. Ohn Hlaing 20. Toe Hlaing 21. Aung Myint

22. Soe Win 23. Tin Maung Thein 24. Mya Than 25. Khin Maung Phone Ko

26. Ye Myint 27. Kyaw Win 28. Tin Khaing 29.Tun Myint 30. Than Than

31. Dr Thein Toe 32. Dr Thar Hla Shwe 33. Dr Tin Shwe 34. Dr S. Hla Mong

35. Dr Than Aung 36. Dr Noeline Latt 37. Myo Min 38. E .Yone Mo 39. Dr Kyaw

40. Maung Maung Tin 41. Dr Soe Tint 42. Dr Aye Tun 43. Daw Hla Tin U

44. Dr Maung Maung 45.Daw Hla Thein 46.Aye Maung 47.Sein Tun48.Htin Kyaw

49.Than Tun 50.Dr Tun Zan Maung 51.Dr Khin Htay 52.Dr Myo Paing

53. Dr Myint Soe 54. Dr Maung Maung Nyo etc.