Sayama Daw Khin Saw Tint taught English at RIT. Her friends call her Anne
Sayama comes from a lineage of Statesmen and Scholars.
Her uncles : U Tin Tut (First Burmese to be invited to be ICS; Minister; Newspaper Publisher …) U Kyaw Myint (Dean of Law; Supreme Court Justice; Chair of Tribunal to try Galon U Saw …) U Myint Thein (Chief Justice of the Union of Burma; Ambassador; Author : MMT …) Dr. Htin Aung (First native Rector of RU; Distinguished author; Folklorist …)
Her mother Daw Khin Saw Mu studied under Sayagyi U Pe Maung Tin. She wrote “Khit San Kabyar”.
Her aunts : Daw Khin Mya Mu (Kyauksar Expert; Thamadi Myo Wun; Spouse of Burmese Professor U E Maung) Daw Tin Saw Mu (Senior Lecturer, English, RU)
Sayama is a bilingual author. Wrote about 30 books She wrote about the “Three Sisters : Mom & Aunts”
Sayama donated K5 Lakhs for the YTU Library Modernization project.
She told U Wynn Hytain Oo (M72, Hmaw Sayagyi) that “It would be nice if Swel Daw Yeik Foundation could consider providing some aid to needy Sayas and Sayamas from non-Engineering Departments.”
Standing (L to R) : U Aye, Russian staff, U Aye Kyu, U Aung Myint
Sitting : U Tin Win, U Shwe Kyaw, U Ohn Gyaw, U Kyaw San Win, U Myint Soe
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U Aye (M62) and U Shwe Kyaw (M63, GBNF) also played Volleyball for Rangoon University.
U Aye retired from UN/FAO. He provided notes about St. Patrick’s High School, sports (Volleyball, Soccer, Track and Field), senior engineering alumni from the 1950s and 1960s.
U Shwe Kyaw (M63, GBNF) was Officiating Major for BAF when he perished in a plane crash. He is the older brother of U Shwe Zan Aung (SPHS63, GBNF) and Dr. Shwe Tun Kyaw (Vipassana teacher). He left behind his spouse (Sayama Daw Khin Toe Myint) and two children.
U Tin Win (M62, GBNF) retired as DyCE, RTC.
U Ohn Gyaw (C63, GBNF) retired as DyDG, Meteorology Dept.
My older brother and sister took two Government examinations — 7th Std exam & 9th Std exam — before entering Rangoon University.
I had to take four examinations — 7th Std exam, 9th Std exam (twice) & 10th Std exam — as a Guinea Pig of the changing Education Systems.
We had to study most subjects in Burmese and English. Thin Char, Yupa Beda and Dhatu Beda in 9th standard Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in 10th standard
We took the last 7th Standard Government examination in 1960.
Note that there were protests regarding the 7th Standard examination in 1956. Harry Tan, who lived nearby, was killed by a stray bullet. All those who took the examination were declared “Pass”.
There used to be a Combined High School Final & Matriculation examination. Successful candidates could attend the University.
However, the System Changed.
HSF Only Exam
We had to take the first ever High School Final Only examination in 1962. We lost one precious year of our lives as guinea pigs of the frequently changing Education System. We answered all tests in Burmese (except English).
We (those from Rangoon) took the HSF examination with the security troops roaming the city after the Coup d’etat on March 2, 1962. The examination was annulled citing “leakage of questions”. We had to retake the HSF in August 1962.
We would normally be attending Rangoon University in 1962. We might witness two dark days in the History of Rangoon University on July 7, 1962 and July 8, 1962.
Matriculation Only Exam
We took the Matriculation Only in 1963. We answered all tests in English (except Burmese).
SPHS63
University Days
We attended the last ever I.Sc.(A) classes at Leik Khone (Rangoon Intermediate College).
There were protests in July 1963 to commemorate the anniversary of 7th July 1962 and 8th July 1962.
The higher authorities closed most schools (except the Faculty of Medicine and Engineering).
Those who were one year senior to us in High School graduated 2.5 years ahead of us from RIT.
The schools later faced many closures — short term and long term — citing Security Concerns.
Reorganization
Rangoon University was closed following the 7th July Anniversary Protests. It was reorganized into Universities and Institutes.
Accreditation
Rangoon University was accredited. Most Institutes were not accredited (for a long time).
Dr. U Ohn Pe (the elder brother) studied Medicine in India.Medical College was not opened yet in Myanmar in those days. Retired as Director of Malaria, Ministry of Health. Awarded “Wunna Kyaw Htin”
U Khin Maung Gyi (the younger brother) was 3 or 4 years old. He received BA in 1930. He became BCS (Sr. Branch) in 1950. He received BL in 1953.
He had three daughters. The youngest is Daw Mae Khin Nyunt (Rosie Gyi, ChE71). She posted additional photos in the RU Centennial Facebook pages.
HlaMin 