UNION Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi joined the launching ceremony of Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2019 Results organized by UNICEF and SEAMEO was held online yesterday morning.

The event was also attended by Education Ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Viet Nam respectively.

Union Minister Dr Myo Thein Gyi said the SEA-PLM is a regional programme to assess learning outcomes while Myanmar is the very first country that conducts data assessment at the schools among Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.

He also discussed two assessments conducted in Myanmar -- Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), the objective of SEA-PLM to contribute a more equitable and meaningful education for all children across the region, SDG target 4.1 and SDG target 4.7 of Sustainable Development Goal 4, KG+12 system in Myanmar, Myanmar National Performances on SEA-PLM Proficiency Scales results based on 5715 Myanmar students conducted by Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), National Education Policy and National Education Strategic Plan (2021-2030).

The Union Minister continued to say about better abilities of Myanmar students than other three member countries out of six showed in the results, the contribution of school textbook per student only in Myanmar and Malaysia among six countries and the performance of one-third of student that brings above the average in math skills while one-fourth of student in reading skill and one-fifth of the student in writing skill.

He also briefed the improvement of the positive opinion of students in their learning, the participation of parents in education, KG+12 system, poor knowledge and lower interest in the education of students before the school days.

Then, the officials discussed policies, practices regarding the SEA-PLM (2019) results and further work plans.

MNA

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)

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Myanmar government, Japanese Embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed Exchange of Notes and Financing Agreements for two ODA loans yesterday.

The loan worth 27.779 billion Yen is for new Bago-Kyaikto road section of the East-West Economic Corridor which will be implemented by the Bridge Department of the Ministry of Construction and another loan worth 15 billion Yen is for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development project (phase 3) which will be implemented by Myanma Economic Bank of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry.

The Exchange of Notes was signed by Deputy Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Maung Maung Win and Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Ichiro Maruyama while the Financing Agreements was by Director-General Daw Si Si Pyone of Treasury Department, on behalf of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry and Sakakura Noriji, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar.

The Bago-Kyaikto road section of the East-West Economic Corridor project will facilitate the transportation of local residences and can improve the local and foreign trade volume.

As it is the shorted road section of Yangon-Bago-Myawady route, it can reduce the high traffic on East-West Economic Corridor and in Bago Region. It can also solve the delays in trade flows, and as it links with ASEAN countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam, it can develop the transportation via trade route of ASEAN to many places of Myanmar.

The SMEs development project (phase-3) can grant a loan with a low-interest rate for the recovery of MSMEs which were badly hit by COVID-19 pandemic.

MNA

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)

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Myanmar is importing COVID-19 medical devices from China for the November 8 General Election.

The devices, including KN95 masks, boots and PPE medical protective clothing sets, reached Yangon by five special flights and Mandalay by seven special flights yesterday, and will be distributed for voters, polling station staff and volunteers in the 2020 General Election.

These devices were bought from China. The stocks started to reach in Myanmar beginning from 21 October and are being distributed to the respective areas ahead of the elections.

MNA

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The Ministry of Health and Sports hosted a weekly virtual meeting to review prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 yesterday.

At the meeting, Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe said that 90 per cent of the COVID-19 death toll in the country were elderly men and those suffered from chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart and cardiovascular diseases.

Therefore, the elderly persons are necessary to stay apart from other persons at home and to eat and sleep separately. It is also important to conduct awareness programmes for that in the townships, said the Union Minister.

He continued that the ministry was making efforts to ensure patients of losing sense of smell with underlying non-communicable diseases in quarantine sites get their current-consuming medicines, saying that it is important to put them intensive care after making distinctive marks on them.

Although Non-Communicable Diseases Unit distributed medicines for the quarantine centres, it is necessary to check whether the medicines arrive at the centre or not, and whether the patients take the medicines or not, he added.

He expressed thanks to the teams that are making daily discussions for systematic accommodation of the patients, and urged them to record information and facts about the processes in simple formats.

Central Epidemiology Unit was reviewing the facts daily. Treating COVID-19 patients at private hospitals was agreed, he said, calling for discussions about the said matters.

Deputy Director-General (Medical Services) Dr Thida Hla reported on the condition of COVID-19 patients and quarantine sites, and Director (Epidemiology) Dr Toe Thiri Aung reviewed laboratory testing, quarantining and public health and epidemiology.

Deputy Director-General (Epidemiology) Dr Tun Tin gave advices on containment of the disease and public health processes.

Director (Health Awareness) Dr Than Naing Soe discussed conducting of peer education programmes at the markets, and Deputy Director-General (Disease Control) Dr Thandar Lwin reported on the cooperation with correctional department.

Deputy Minister Dr Mya Lay Sein discussed participation of municipal department while conducing health awareness programmes, and Permanent Secretary Dr Thet Khaing Win reported on testing COVID-19 at private laboratories and treatment of COVID patients at hospitals.

Director-General of Union Minister’s Office Dr Thar Tun Kyaw detailed about prevention, control and treatment on COVID-19 in Yangon Region.

The meeting was concluded after the Union Minister delivered a speech saying that it is important to make preparation in cooperation with State/Region governments, relevant departments and social organizations and volunteers, and the ministry will provide necessary assistance.

MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

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Information Matrix and New York-based Sprinklr jointly organized a virtual demonstration workshop on modern mass communication technology yesterday afternoon via videoconferencing.

Union Minister for Information Dr Pe Myint, Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun, Permanent Secretary U Myo Myint Maung, departmental heads, and officials from Information Matrix and Sprinklr participated in the workshop.

In his opening remark, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint said that the Ministry of Information operates mainstream media such as print and broadcast channels for public communication.

He added that “new media” (new type of media) now achieves increasing popularity and the MoI staff members are making efforts to be familiar with the “new media” by learning, making discussions and sharing of knowledge.

During the workshop, Sprinklr’s officials Mr Nicolas Cael and Mr Valentin Dura explained practical application of modern mass communication technology.

Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun and some participants raised queries, and Information Matrix CEO U Thaung Su Nyein, Mr Nicolas Cael and Mr Valentin Dura answered the questions.

Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun delivered a closing speech at the demonstration workshop.

The virtual workshop was attended by 33 staff members of officers under the Ministry of Information.

During the meeting, experts from Information Matrix and Sprinklr demonstrated how the ministry can use information technology and modern mass communication technology in providing news and information to the general public and educational entertainment.

MNA

(Translated by Maung Maung Swe)

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