by Hla Min

Update : July 2025

• 2500+ articles in my web site hlamin.com
• Difficult to revise all articles
• Events described here cover my journey as a University Student
• Other events (e.g. 1946 to 1970s, Top Matriculates) are covered elsewhere

1963

• Took Matric Only exam in May
• Most exams were held in March

Collegiate Scholarship

• Paulians had 5 in the Top Five, 7 in the Top Ten, and 10 in the Top Twenty
• Khin Maung U (1st in Burma)
• Min Oo (2nd)
• Myo San (Freddie Ba San, 3rd, GBNF)
• Nyunt Wai (Victor Nyunt, 4th)
• Thein Wai (5th)
• Hla Min (7th)
• Johnny Maung Maung (Aung Kyaw Zaw, 9th)
• Maung Maung Kyi (11th, GBNF)
• Aung Thu Yein (Brownie Way, 13th, GBNF)
• Frank Gale (Khin Maung Zaw, 17th)

Leik Khone

• Attended last ever I.Sc.(A) class at Leik Khone.
• Following the “Anniversary of 7th July, 1962” events, most classes at Rangoon & Mandalay Universities were closed for an unspecified period.
• Engineering & Medical Classes were spared at that time.
• As a result, those who were a year senior in High School graduated 2.5 years ahead of us (Guinea Pigs of the Education Systems).

RUBC

• Joined Rangoon University Boat Club.
• Paulian Crew was Runner-up for Senior Novices.
• Maung Maung Kyi (Bow, GBNF)
• Hla Min (2)
• Kyaw Wynn (3)
• Willie Soe Maung (Myint Soe, Stroke, GBNF)
• Myint Thein (Cox, GBNF)
• We were awarded Full Green.

40th Anniversary Gathering

• President Sithu U Tin, VP U Po Zon & U Tin Htoon compiled Souvenir Magazine for the 40th Anniversary of the Founding of RUBC
• Due to Security Concerns, the 40th Anniversary Annual Regatta was cancelled
• Sithu U Tin & the Patrons decided to hold the “40th Anniversary Dinner of the founding of RUBC” at Orient Hotel in Kandawgyi

Burma Institute of Technology

• My elder brother and several sayas graduated from BIT in 1963.
• They were from the second batch of BIT.
• The degree conferred was B.Sc. (Engg).

1964

Education System

• New Education System was implemented in November 1964.
• Most Faculties of the Rangoon University became Institutes with their own Rectors.
• Youth Affairs Department implemented Luyechun (လူရည်ချွန်) Program in the Summer of 1964. Eligible students from 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th Standards were chosen to attend Ngapali Shwe Wah Gyaing Camp in the Summer of 1964.

Rangoon Institute of Technology

In November 1964, three batches of students entered RIT (Rangoon Institute of Technology).

• 400+ were admitted to the first ever 1st BE using Intelligence Level Aggregate (ILA). Zaw Min was admitted as Roll Number One. Tommy Shwe (GBNF), Cho Aye (GBNF), Peter Pe (GBNF) & Thaung Sein (Steeve Kay, GBNF) were among the top students.
• 300+ who had passed the last ever I.Sc.(A) exam were chosen by merit to attend the first ever 2nd BE. I was admitted as Roll Number One. Taing Oke, Kenny Wong, Tun Aung Gyaw, Tin Tun (GBNF) & Thein Swe (GBNF) were among the top students.
• About 200 students who had passed the last ever I.Sc.(B) exam were admitted to the 3rd BE. Tun Aung (Jeffrey, GBNF) was a top student.

RUBC

• Elected Honorary Treasurer
• Had to report to Professor William Paw (President)
• Last Executive Committee member to be elected at the Annual General Meeting
• Served as Vice Captain the following year
• Higher authorities prevented me from becoming RUBC Captain by discarding the Bye Laws and using their ad-hoc rules (e.g. selecting instead of electing Captain)
• My affection for Rowing & RUBC did not wither. I served as Contributing Editor for the RUBC 90th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine in 2013

Matriculation

• Cherry Hlaing (Than Than Tin, St. John’s Convent) and Lyn Aung Thet (MEHS) had Joint Highest Marks.
• Based on ILA, Cherry was admitted as Roll Number One to IM(1). Was selected Luyechun in summer of 1965. Grandfather U Hoke Sein & father U Saw Hlaing were First in Burma.
• Lyn Aung Thet had four distinctions and joint Highest Marks. He had lower ILA than Cherry. Scholar Athlete who excelled in Swimming, Water Polo, Tennis & Chess. Was Luyechun in a later year.
• Aung Win Chiong (SPHS64) has the next best raw score. Had perfect ILA score. Admitted to IM(2) as Roll Number One.
• Maurice Hla Kyi (Min Lwin, SPHS64) had the 5th highest marks. Admitted to IM(2) as Roll Number Two.

1965 – 1969

Matriculation in 1965

• Bernard Khaw (SPHS65) had four distinctions (with 80+ marks in English) and stood First in Burma. Due to the revised policy (e.g. 3 NRC requirement), he could not apply for professional courses.
  Majored in Chemistry before moving to USA. Retired as a Chemical Engineer & Pastor.

• Maung Aye (SPHS65) had second best raw marks. He and his twin brother moved to USA
• Winston Sein Maung (SPHS65, GBNF) had third best raw marks
• Cherry Than Tin had fourth best raw marks. She was admitted as Roll No (1) to MC (2)
• Yi Thwe (SPHS65, GBNF) had 5th best raw marks. Admitted as Roll No (1) to MC (1)
• Paing Soe (Freddie, SPHS65) had same marks as Yi Thwe.
  Admitted as Roll No (2) to MC (1)
• Forty four Paulians were admitted to MC in 1965. They are from the Last Batch of True Paulians.

Nationalization

Consequences of Coup d’etat include

• End of Democracy
• Nationalization of industry & schools
• Indiscriminate demonetization
• Increased censorship
• With every turmoil (effecting “National Security”), the universities, institutes and schools were suspended.

SPHS

• The schools were nationalized on April 1, 1965.
• St. Paul’s High School became No. (6) Botathaung State High School. Some Brothers left Burma. A few indigenous Brothers remained in Ady Road. Brother Joseph was ordained as Father Joseph.

Luyechun

• Program was extended to include Universitites & Institutes in Summer of 1965
• I attended Inlay Khaung Daing Lu Ye Camp in the summer of 1965 along with Ko Sein Shwe, Khin Than Myint Tin and Zaw Min

• MC(1) sent Cherry Hlaing, Khin Maung U, Anita Aye Pe and Kyaw Sein Koe (Victor, GBNF).

RIT

Eight engineering departments

• Architecture
• Chemical
• Civil
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Metallurgical
• Mining
• Textile

Most departments have associations. The RIT Mechanical Engineering Association was active. Ko Win Thein (M67, GBNF) was a Prime Mover. He co-founded Set Hmu Thadinzin & Mechanical Magazine. He organized activities.

RIT Sports Council was headed by Saya U Maung Maung Than (GBNF). U Maung Maung (Burma Selected in soccer) was Sports Officer. The associations for the various sports were headed by sayas.

Several RIT students were Burma Selected. They include Sai Kham Pan (Badminton) and Htay Aung (Water Polo).

Saya Mao Toon Siong (former Burma Champion) was National Coach for Table Tennis. He also coached RIT team which won the Inter-Institute Championship.

Electrical Sayas

• Electrical Engineering was headed by Saya U Sein Hlaing (Professor & Head).
• Senior sayas included U Kyaw Tun (saya of our sayas), U Tin Swe & U Sein Win. All are now GBNF.
• There were about 20 sayas. Five were on deputation for further studies abroad.
• I wrote “A Sad and Short Clip : EE Sayas” for SPZP-2010. Sayas U Thein Lwin and U Nyi Nyi have since passed away.

EC and EP

There were two options : EC (Electrical Communications) and EP (Electrical Power). Per advice from the industry, only a quarter of students were accepted for EC.

• 80+ EE students in 3rd BE.
• 40+ EE students graduated in 1969

• EP students outnumbered EC students 3 by 1. Several bright students played safe by choosing EP (which provided a job guarantee).

• We studied EC (Electrical Communications). Twelve of us graduated in 1969.
• Five EC69ers — Kyaw Soe, Aung Thu Yein, Chit Tin, Oo Kyaw Hla & Sai Aik Yee — are now GBNF.
• Several years later, EC became Electronics Engineering.
• A few decades later, Electronics Engineering and Electrical Power became full-fledged departments.

Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) wrote :

AFAIK, EC was the hardest and strictest discipline at the RIT in those days as we’ve been told. Some even asked us why we had to go there. Of course, I am not going to mention the easiest discipline there, but we joked like, “they had 109 students and 110 passed the exam”. I do not mean any disrespect to Sayas and friends from other majors!! At times, it made us wonder why were we there for god’s sake. CRAZY TIMES!!! Indeed.

Volunteer

I served as

• Treasurer & Vice Captain of RUBC (Rangoon University Boat Club)
• Class Representative, Joint Secretary & Secretary of RITEE (Rangoon Institute of Technology Electrical Engineering Association)
• Member of Committee for “Hlyat Sit Sar Saung”
• Editor of the Bulletin published by RIT English Association
• Member of UTC, Rowing, Scrabble, and Chess Assocations / Clubs
• Free lance writer (articles, poems, translations). My poem “Men on the Moon” was sent to NASA by USIS, and it was published in the Guardian newspaper in July 1969

Updates

• Some joined the Faculty. Some worked in the Industry. A few worked for private or family business. Some moved overseas.
• Danny suggested to have a Class Reunion. It was realized as 30th Anniversary of Graduation & Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe in 1999.
• I started “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” in April 1999. It partially helped to have SPZP-2000.

• 69er Health Care Fund was established. Ko Aung Min is current Chair. He and his team maintain the finances & activities.

• 69ers hold monthly Breakfast Gatherings (except during the pandemic). They have major Reunions in 1999, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

Awards

• Received Alumni Appreciation Awards in October 2000, August 2016 and September 2016.
• Received Distinguished Toastmaster in 2017