The Ministry of Education under the military council has issued a directive prohibiting the use of the term ‘university’ in Myanmar’s private education sector, mandating the use of ‘college’ instead. According to the order issued in January 2025, private educational institutions are no longer allowed to use the terms ‘university’ or ‘university’ and must limit themselves to using ‘college’ as their highest designation. This directive requires private educational institutions to change all their signage, advertisements, and documentation from ‘university’ to ‘college’.
Additionally, the military council has issued a strict order prohibiting private colleges and educational institutions from employing teachers who participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in support of the civilian government. The council has threatened to close any private schools and colleges found to be employing CDM teachers. The military council is conducting frequent surprise inspections of private educational institutions through inspection teams and is actively working to prevent CDM teachers from participating in educational activities. These inspection teams are led by non-CDM university rectors who conduct surprise checks and identify CDM teachers.
The military council is attempting to control the private education sector and suppress the CDM movement, pressuring private educational institutions to report any activities of CDM teachers. This oppression has created significant concern within the private education sector, with growing anxiety about the future of CDM teachers. The inspection teams, led by non-CDM professors, are regularly conducting unannounced visits to private institutions, creating an environment of surveillance and fear. The military council’s actions demonstrate their continued efforts to exert control over the education sector and suppress opposition through administrative measures, affecting both educational institutions and teaching professionals who supported the pro-democracy movement.
