Category: Burma

Rangoon University

Department of Oriental Studies

• The Department of Oriental Studies taught Pali.
• Per request of Sayagyi U Pe Maung Tin, the Burmese Department was formed as a Sub-department of the Department of Oriental Studies.
• A few years later, Burmese became a separate Department.

Burmese Department

• Saya U E Maung
  Pen name; Maung Thant Sin
  Saya U E (pronounced “Aye”) Maung served as its first Professor.
  His compilation “Garland of Kabyars (Poems)” was a prescribed text for my elder siblings.
  Spouse : Daw Khin Mya Mu is an expert in reading and transcribing Kyauk Sar (Inscription).
• U Chan Mya
  Pen name : Mya Ketu
• U Toe Aung
  Pen name: Kutha
• U Hla Maung
  Taught Abhiddhama
  Member of Myanmar Sar Ah Phwe
• U Sunn Tun (Mandalay)
  Wrote “Shay Tho” series
• U Kyaw Yin
  Pen name: Kahtika U Kyaw Yin

Outstanding Alumni

Sayagyi U Pe Maung Tin was proud of his students — Theikpan Maung Wa, Zawgyi and Minthuwun — for founding the “Khit San Sar Pay”.
He would express Mudita (Altruistic Joy) for their talents and achievements.

• ICS U Sein Tin (Theikpan Maung Wa)
  Sad victim of a botched robbery
  We had to study his “Wut Htu Saung Par”
• U Thein Han (Zawgyi)
  Laureate Poet
  Chief Librarian, Rangoon University Central Library

• U Wun (Minthuwun)
  Head of the Translation Department of Rangoon University
  Compiler of “Myanamr Abhidan”
  For a short period, served as Professor
  Visiting Professor at Osaka University for four years
  Son : U Htin Kyaw (Former President)

• Daw Khin Saw Mu
  Spouse : ICS U Ba Tint
  Children : Daw Khin Saw Tint (Bilingual writer), U Nay Oke Tint (Nay Oke St. Paul’s)
• U Tin Aye (Shan Pyay)
  Succeeded U Wun as Head of Translation Department
• U Kyaw Aung
  Editor of the Translation Department
  Author

Burmese Texts

• “Kabyar Pan Kone” (Garland of Flowers)
  compiled by Saya U E Maung (which was prescribed for High School before our days)
• “Myanmar Thadda” (Burmese Grammar)
  by Saya U Pe Maung Tin (which we studied in Middle School)
• “U Pon Nya Wutthu Paung Kyote”
  compiled and annotated by Saya U Wun (which we studied in High School)
• Poems by U Kyin U
• Selections from Zat Taw Gyi Hse Bwe (e.g. Mahosadha)
• Pyazat (e.g. Deva Gomban)

Burmese Language

• Spoken language (Myanmar Sagar)
• Written language (Myanmar Sar).
• The spoken language predates the written language, which first appeared as the fourth and final language of the Mya Zedi Kyauksar (stone inscription).
• An early Indo-Tibetan script was used to write Burmese.

Myanmar Sar Ah Phwe

• The BSPP Government formed the Myanmar Sar Ah Phwe (Burmese Language Commission)
• Bohmu Ba Thaung, Head of Burmese Department at DSA, served as early Head of the Commission
• In the 1980s, several History Commission members were assigned to the Myanma Sar Ah Phwe.

Decline of formal Burmese

• The Commission revised the Burmese spelling twice.
  Some revisions were ill-advised.
• Authors and publishers were fined ten pyas for each violation of the spelling rules dictated by the Commission.
• Many classic texts were ruined when every occurrence of TA had to be replaced with TIT to please the whims of the higher authorities.
  The rhyme and rhythm of the beloved texts were lost.

• The rise of the Internet was sadly accompanied by the decline of Burmese usage and the adoption of slangs and abbreviations in messages, blogs and even articles.

Terms

• SS — Starting Salary
• AI — Annual Increment
• MS — Maximum Salary (aka Bar Sone)
• CLA — Cost of Living Allowance

Tutor (for non-Science Departments)

• Pay scale : 200 – 10 – 300
• With CLA, starting pay is 200 + 97 = 297 kyats
• Lecturing Tutor gets an additional 100 kyats
• Ad hoc Tutor gets 100 kyats

Demonstrator (for Science Departments)

• Same pay scale as Tutor

Assistant Lecturer (AL)

• Pay scale : 350 – 25 – 700
• With CLA, starting pay is 350 + 89 = 439 kyats
• Is a Gazetted Officer

Lecturer

• Old pay scale : 800 – 50 – 1200
• No CLA, but has access to staff shop
• Can spend 10% of salary at the staff shop

Professor

• Pay scale : 1300
• No CLA, but has access to “staff shop”
• May be eligible for a house in the Campus

Rector

• Pay scale : 1500

Gazetted Officer

• Assistant Lecturers and above are Gazetted Officers.
• Details (promotions, transfers, vacation) are recorded in the Gazette.

Changes

CLA was abolished.

New positions and scales were introduced.

• A hybrid system (Professor, Associate Professor and Lecturer) was adopted instead of the more common system (Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor)
• Engineering Instructor: 450 – 25 – 700 [“new” position]
• Assistant Lecturer: 450 – 25 – 700 [“new” scale]
• Lecturer: 800 – 40 – 1000 [“new” scale]
• Associate Professor: 1000 – 50 – 1200 [“new” position]

Miscellaneous

Gazetted officer : 450 scale & above

The pay raises could not keep up with the rising cost of living.

Promotions take considerably longer.

• In the early days, engineering graduates joined the Faculty of Engineering as Assistant Lecturers.
  In the later days, engineering graduates have to serve as Instructors before they become Assistant Lecturers.
• In the early days, a Lecturer can get promoted to Professorship. In the later days, a Lecturer gets promoted to Associate Professor.

The Public Services Commission (PSC) took charge of the appointments of government employees.

Observation

In the old days, a University is a collection of Colleges. Most departments have a Professor, who also served as Head of the Department. Some departments were headed by Lecturers and even Assistant Lecturers.

There are now some Universities in Myanmar that do not have multiple Colleges. Some departments have several Professors.

There are some private Universities.