KIO leaders and local education committee officials on Friday officially opened Maija Yang College in KIO-controlled city located in Burma-China border. Maj. General Sumlut Gun Maw, KIA’s deputy chief of staff, cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony. KIO central committee members, KIA’s 3rd Brigade Commander Col. Maran Tawng La, Director of Maija Yang College Sara Kum Shawng, Principle of Institute of Education Dr. Lahpai Hkun Seng, local religious leaders and hundreds of Maija Yang residents attended Friday’s opening ceremony.
Maija Yang College was founded as the need arise for the students in KIO-controlled area. Students who passed the matriculation exam in KIO-controlled area have been banned from continuing further education in Burmese government controlled cities since the renewed war began in June 2011.
Another college in Maija Yang, Maija Yang Institute of Education (Maija Yang Amyusha Hpaji Dakkasu), was established in Sept 2004 with the support of KIO’s Education Department. The process of becoming Maija Yang Institute of Education has been long since it started as a Teacher Training School in 1997. The School was later named Maija Yang Teacher Training College in 2008 and subsequently Maija Yang Institute of Education in 2014 focusing on training new school teachers.
Maija Yang Institute of Education is currently offering a number of courses including Pre-College program, Diploma in Education, Diploma in English and Postgraduate diploma in Education. Currently, over 200 students from Kachin and Shan State have enrolled in different programs offered at Maija Yang Institute of Education.
Update: Some information has been amended. Earlier version of this story indicated Maija Yang College as the same as Maija Yang Institute of Education.
By KLN
