Min Oo (SPHS63)

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Highlights

• Alias : Kenneth Khine
• Parents : U Kyaw Khine (Railways) & Daw Khin Lay (Advocate)
• SPHS classmate in Std VIIIA, IXA and XA. He was among the youngest, but also the brightest.

• We were in different sections in the lower classes.

Matric Exam in 1963

• SPHS had five students in the Top Five, seven in the Top Ten, and ten in the Top Twenty.
• All received Collegiate Scholarships with a monthly stipend of 75 Kyats (net 60 Kyats after the school fees).
• Min Oo stood 2nd in Burma. He chose to study Maths.

Language expert

• Grapevine says that he was reading a German book before entering the hall to take the Matric exam
• Scored distinctions in English, Maths, Physics & Chemistry

Mathematics Genius

• A Tuition Saya challenged his students. “Ask your teachers to solve the problem. I will give you free tuition if you can provide the correct answer.”
  One student asked Min Oo, who was playing cards. Min Oo scribbled the answer during the card game. The Tuition Saya was unhappy; he broke his promise to give the student free tuition.
• U Aung Sein (Retired Associate Professor of Maths) saw Min Oo get out of the Tutorial classes after a few minutes and yet had perfect score. Saya decided to give challenging questions for a Tutorial. Min Oo took longer time than the easier Tutorials, but most of the other students could not get a passing grade.

Luyechun Student & Staff

• Selected Tekkatho Luyechun in the summer of 1965. We attended Inlay Khaung Daing Camp.

• He joined RASU Maths Dept. He was chosen as Staff for the Tekkatho Luyechun camp.
• As a multiple Luyechun from IM(1), Ko Khin Maung U was present at two camps with Min Oo. Ko KMU remembers Min Oo with a cigar trying to look like a Saya.

Career

• Two doctorates in Maths from Germany
• Professor Emeritus, McMasters University in Canada; Voluntarily retired in 2015.
• Was Visiting Professor in selected US Universities.

Micro-reunion

• After retirement, he visited Silicon Valley frequently to see his daughter.
• A few years back, we had a lunch gathering in the SF Bay Area.

Dr. Nyan Taw (SPHS63) wrote :

Yes – Min Oo is the brightest. Proud to be his class mate. SPHS VIA group photo Min Oo also Khin Mg U sitting.

Posts

• Luyechun
• Mathematics
• Scholarship
• SPHS