THE
REPUBLIC OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR
UNIVERSITY
TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS (UTAs)
Background
The promulgation of
Labour Organization Law in November 2011 was prologue for the formations of
University Teachers Associations (UTAs). Chapter I, Article 2, Section A of the
Labour Organization Law states that: -
Worker means a person who relies on
his labour to engage in economic activity or to generate a livelihood,
including a daily wage earner, temporary worker, worker engaged in agriculture,
domestic worker, government employee, and apprentice, but does not include the Defense
Service personnel, member of the Myanmar Police Force or member of the armed
organizations under the control of Defense Services.
According to above-mention
Article, as university teachers in Myanmar are members of government staffs, it
can be assumed that the university teachers are entitled to set up teacher
related organizations in respective university. Soon after the promulgation of
Labor Organization Law, hence, some university teachers of East Yangon
University (EYU), who are currently members of executive committee of UTA
(EYU), made informal discussion aiming to set up an organization that represents
the interests of the university teachers on 16th December 2011.
Though EYU’s teachers held the meeting for foundation of UTA, the necessary
rules and regulations were not passed at that time. So, the EYU’s teachers set
basic agreement to set up UTA when ministry of labour pass necessary rules and
regulations. On 29th February 2012, the necessary Rule for Labour
Organization was passed by the Ministry of Labour. However, when necessary rule
was issued the teachers were unfortunately preoccupied with the examination
duties as February and March are university examination season in Myanmar.
Therefore, only in last week of June 2012, the measures to establish UTA were
able to restart. In June 2012, teachers of four universities in Yangon hold a
meeting at the postal compound of Yangon University. At this meeting, a
committee known as UTA Constitutional Drafting Committee (UTACDC) consisting teacher’s
representatives from respective university was formed to draft constitutions
which are requirements for founding UTAs. One thing here should be noted that
the constitutions of UTAs were arranged to draft uniformly because though UTAs
are intended to form university wise as phase I, formation of Federation for
University Teachers at reasonable time is targeted as phase II. The framers of
the UTAs believe that making uniform constitutions will pave the easier way to
setting up of Federation of UTA in future. In the last week of July 2012,
UTACDC approved final draft, which, then, was sent to respective university to
have final approval of university teachers. It was approved by teachers of East
Yangon University on 3 August 2012, Yangon University on 6 August 2012, Dagon
University on 6 August 2012 and West Yangon University on 3 September 2012
respectively. On 9 August 2012 the UTAs of East Yangon University, Yangon
University and Dagon University were officially registered at the Minister of
Labour and formation of UTAs were publicized through holding press conference
on the same day. The same procedures were followed in the formation of UTAs at
Mandalay, where there are altogether four UTAs in Mandalay University, Mandalay
University of Distance Education, Mandalay University of Foreign Languages and Yadanabone
University respectively. Therefore, there are eight UTAs in the whole Myanmar.
After about to two months of official registration, all UTAs, except UTA of
West Yangon University, have been recognized as official organizations by
government on the date of 24 September 2012. And then the government issued recognition
certificate to the UTA of the West Yangon University at the end of December
2012. Some university authorities made hindrances and threats in various ways
and means, which had been faced in some university, during the time of
achieving our endeavor for the founding of UTAs, but we overcame successfully
with the spirit of genuine teachers. Therefore, the age of UTAs will be four
months old as of January 24, 2013.
Major
Aims and Purposes
Due
to the significant nature of our profession, which is relatively diverse form
other kind of career life, the UTAs have been established as not only ordinary
Trade Unions, but Civil Societies and Charity Organizations also. The UTAs’
tasks, therefore, focus on upgrading university education system to rank side
by side with the global standards and promoting the living standard and social
wellbeing of university teachers as well as supporting and helping the students
who are being faced difficulties in their studying. The aims and purposes that adopted in the
Chapter II of the UTAs’ constitutions are as followed: -
(a)
To
take part as much as possible by university teachers of respective university
in achieving modern education system of respective subjects specialization in
order to upgrade the education standard of the Republic of the Union of
Myanmar.
(b)
To
assist and support as much as possible by Association in social affairs of
university teachers and in the affairs of Nationalities’ literature and
culture.
(c)
To
assist and support effectively in the affairs of students’ education, health
and social well-being.
(d)
To
protect and safeguard the fundamental rights of university teachers in accord
with laws.
(e)
To
lead by Association in the demonstration of the university teachers’ wishes of
uniformity.
(f)
To
enable university teachers to carry out as professional careers with their respective
specialized subjects without interfering the duties and responsibilities of
respective mother unit.
(g)
To
communicate (or) assist in communicating with regional and international
organizations for the educational purposes of university teachers.
(h)
To
assist and support in eliminating and eradicating bribery and corruption in the
university education environment.
Measures
Undertaken by UTAs
-
Issuing
an Appeal Statement to the responsible persons and rector of Sittwe University
in dealing with the making punishment of without pays to the eighty two
teachers of Sittwe University, who returned their native town due to the lack
of adequate security caused by recent unrest in Rakhine State.
-
Recent
after receiving official recognition certificates from the Ministry of Labour,
all UTAs made official claims for office-room and meeting-room to the
respective universities’ rectors. But no room was granted. Moreover, some
rectors even made very rude and oppressive treatments to responsible teachers
of UTAs. Until now almost all of the universities’ authorities including officials
from education ministry are still very reluctant to recognize and accept the
legal existence of UTAs.
-
On
17 October 2012, all UTAs unanimously send an Open Letter to the Education
Minister in regard to the lecturing and examination duties of University of
Distant Education (UDE). In Myanmar, like other universities, UDEs are separate
universities and have exclusive organizational structure of staffs and
teachers. But, the teachers of Arts and Science University are being forced to
serve these duties including official holidays, though such duties are not the
duties relating to their mother university, without any allowances and extra
fees. The Open Letter aimed to inform the real situations relating to UDE that
have been occurred in the universities, to point out UDE related briberies and
corruptions and to claim to stop exploiting teachers’ service and to reward
fees and allowances in accordance with Public Service Law. Up to now, however,
no official response had been received.
-
In
December 2012, all UTAs also made a concerted claim to the universities’
authorities and officials from Ministry of Education to make free and safer
arrangements of transportation for the university teachers and students. Up to
now, however, no arrangement had been made.
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