04 November 2016 –The Philippine Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), co-organized the Philippines-Myanmar Education Forum on October 28 at UMFCCI Convention Center.
With its theme “Harnessing Human Resources for a Modern Myanmar Economy in ASEAN,” the Forum is part of the activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Myanmar. It gathered close to 200 key stakeholders from the government, academe, and private business sector.
In reading the Keynote Address of the Union Minister of Education, Dr. Myo Thein Kyi, Yangon University Rector, Dr. Poe Kaung, admitted that developing human capital is a major challenge for CLMV countries including Myanmar, with skills gap widening as the economy evolves. He noted the hundreds of Myanmar nationals who have studied in the Philippines and the increasing number of Filipinos working in Myanmar as educators and managers.
Professor Maria Nieves R. Confesor, former Secretary of Labor under President Fidel V. Ramos and Chairperson of the International Labor Organization (ILO), delivered a talk on “Ensuring Growth that Matters: Inclusive Development, National Competitiveness and ASEAN Integration.” Drawing from the Philippine experience, she offered insights on how Myanmar can strengthen its human resources to address the needs of its growing and modernizing economy. She cited the relevance of access, capacity and excellence, and increasingly of ethical and innovative governance. “We should be thinking in terms of ASEAN,” she said, as she stressed the importance of cooperation and collaboration of diverse sectors.
Dr. Chris Spohr, Principal Social Sector Specialist of ADB, in discussing “Strengthening Human Capital for a Modern Myanmar Economy in a Dynamic Asia,” argued for the need for Myanmar to strengthen its secondary education and Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) programs. “School exiters are not accessing TVET,” he said as training in Myanmar is largely limited to affluent urban populations and niche skills.
UMFCCI Vice President Dr. Myo Thet and ADB Country Director Winfried F. Wicklein were among the Forum’s guests of honor. The Embassy also invited alumni of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Silliman University, and University of the Philippines, among others. The event was supported by the Filipino Community in Myanmar and two Philippine businesses involved in training programs in Myanmar, i.e., PHINMA Education and Learn Myanmar. END
