Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and State Security and Peace Commission Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered a commemorative speech at the ceremony to confer Honorary Doctor of Public Administration (DPA honoris causa) on him at the University of Yangon yesterday. The full text of the translated speech is as follows: –
I extend my greetings to all those attending today’s honorary doctorate conferral ceremony, including members of the Yangon University Thahaya Club, members of the National Security and Peace Commission, Union-level dignitaries, senior military officers, the Chief Minister of Yangon Region, Deputy Ministers, rectors, specially invited rectors from international universities, honorary professors, professors, and all distinguished guests.
In accordance with the fine traditions of the University of Yangon, I am deeply honoured and delighted to receive the Honorary Doctor of Public Administration conferred upon me in this convocation hall. I regard this not only as a personal honour, but also as a significant milestone of great importance in advancing the nation’s future education sector. Moreover, together with this honorary doctorate, I feel that I now bear even greater responsibility in the task of building the future of the nation. It also serves as a source of strength for the journey ahead.
I have known that different honorary degrees were conferred on a total of 72 prominent individuals, including monks, foreign leaders and civilians, in this convocation from 1921 to 2020. I understand that the degrees conferred were Honorary Doctor of Literature degrees and Honorary Doctor of Law degrees. I understand that Honorary Doctor of Literature degrees were conferred upon members of the Sangha Aggamaha Pandita Bhaddanta Silananda Bhivamsa, Bhaddanta Mārābhivamsa, and Bhaddanta Nyanissara and those Honorary Doctor of Law degrees were conferred upon international leaders, namely Yugoslav President Marshal Tito and Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh.
I am especially proud and delighted to have been conferred the first-ever Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration by the University of Yangon, which celebrates its 106th anniversary in 2026. I also recall that I studied law as my major at this great university during the 1972-73 academic year.
In 1972, I was at Ramanya Hall during my first year of study, and in my second year, I attended the Department of Arts. In January 1974, I transferred to the Defence Services Academy for the cadet course. I fondly remember the fresh and lush Gangaw (Mesua ferrea) plantations, the teachers who taught us with full dedication and energy, my classmates, and the large university’s library. Likewise, I also recall beginning my military life as a trainee in the No 1 University Training Corps (No 1 UTC) during 1972-73.
Founded on 1 December 1920, the University of Yangon, now over a century old, is a priceless legacy of the nation’s rich educational heritage. Throughout history, it has been renowned as one of the most prestigious and distinguished universities in South East Asia. Beyond academics, it has also been a stronghold of Myanmar’s struggle for independence, nurturing patriotism and a spirit of national pride, and has produced numerous national leaders.
Prominent leaders, including the national hero General Aung San, as well as other notable figures in Myanmar’s struggle for independence and eminent scholars, are all intellectual treasures nurtured by the University of Yangon. Likewise, experts in various fields – administration, economics, social affairs, and politics have, through the training and education provided by their alma mater, been able to faithfully carry out the nation’s responsibilities within their respective sectors.
Distinguished guests,
Just as building strong physical infrastructure is essential for nation-building, it is even more important to construct “intellectual infrastructure”. With this in mind, during my tenure, I placed special emphasis on education, guiding policies to develop effective teaching and learning, and to cultivate the necessary teaching workforce to produce valuable human resources for future generations. When the government first took on the responsibility of the State, it faced a period marked globally by the COVID-19 pandemic and domestically by political instability and intense disruption.
Amid these difficult challenges, we firmly regarded education as an indispensable part of nation-building. Efforts were made to ensure that students’ access to learning opportunities was not lost, working tirelessly to reopen schools, from primary education to universities and colleges, as quickly as possible.
It is well known that some destructive actors targeted the education sector in an attempt to undermine the future of the younger generation. Schools were forcibly closed, teachers were pressured by the DCS, and students were threatened. Despite these challenges, the government prioritized security and management measures to ensure that the education system did not come to a halt. We acted with a firm stance that education must never be used as a political weapon. Honest and dedicated education staff, through their courageous efforts and commitment, ensured that students’ learning continued uninterrupted. It is thanks to their work that the current situation has been achieved, and we are deeply grateful and proud of their contributions.
The level of development of a country directly depends on the quality of education of its citizens. Education not only enhances the critical thinking abilities of the nation’s people but also serves as the only force capable of fostering unity and harmony amid diversity.
For a strong Union founded on a genuine and disciplined multiparty democratic system and a federal structure to emerge, the country must have citizens who are well-educated and skilled. Supporting and promoting education is the “most profitable investment” for the nation’s future. By receiving today’s honorary degree, I am further encouraged to continue striving in the coming years to advance Myanmar’s education sector and help build a nation rich in educated and capable citizens.
Even though natural resources are extremely scarce, we must take careful note of examples where countries have become global economic powers by building their development on education. Looking at the post-World War II recovery of Japan, which rebuilt from devastation, and South Korea, which endured severe civil war damage, we see that both nations prioritized the development of human resources over natural resources as a national strategic focus. This clearly demonstrates that a country’s progress and development rely directly and proportionally on the knowledge, skills, and quality of its citizens rather than on the natural resources beneath its soil.
The government’s increased funding for the education sector, upgrading of schools, and improvement of teacher capacity are all laying the foundational pillars for the nation’s strength in the decades to come. All of us must continue to strive tirelessly and wholeheartedly, building on education, so that the country can stand proudly and confidently on the global stage as a modern and developed nation.
We have prioritized reopening schools and providing teachers, even in the most remote regions, to ensure that there is no educational disparity among ethnic areas. This is an investment in education aimed at national rehabilitation and fostering a strong sense of union spirit. We are particularly attentive to the fact that in some remote or security-sensitive areas, young children face obstacles in accessing education. Amid the severe teacher shortage challenges encountered since 2021, the government has firmly upheld the policy that wherever there are students, there must be teachers, and wherever there are schools, there must be teachers. We have worked tirelessly to fully provide the necessary security and teaching mechanisms. In areas with teacher shortages, we are also training local youth as teachers and reassigning them to help reduce educational gaps.
Looking ahead, our educational goal is to implement reforms and improvements under the principle: “From quality education towards national strength”. Observing most developed countries today, we see that supporting locally based vocational and technical education not only reduces unemployment but also strengthens regional production and boosts economic performance. As an agricultural and livestock-based country, we can learn from these successful models. By aligning the State’s policies on agriculture, livestock, and industrial technology with regional production strengths, we can enhance domestic production from the ground up and steadily promote the nation’s economic development.
As a result, young people will gain greater employment opportunities. Expanding and opening schools focused on industrial, agricultural, and livestock institutes is intended to provide those who complete basic education but cannot continue to university with practical skills for self-reliance, while also supplying skilled workers to support the nation’s production sectors.
Distinguished guests,
Viewing the science and technology sector as a source of the nation’s future strength, we have worked to enhance the quality of technological and computer universities. In particular, the opening of world-class institutions such as Naypyitaw State Academy and Naypyitaw Polytechnic University, along with the establishment of Polytechnic Universities in each region and state, represents a major step toward producing the highly skilled engineers and research scientists that the country needs.
Furthermore, since teacher quality is crucial for improving educational standards, educational universities and degree colleges are being upgraded. Teachers are expected not only to master modern methods and systems but also to cultivate a new generation with patriotism and strong moral character. To support this responsibility, the State will continuously provide the necessary policy guidance and socioeconomic support.
One thing I want to encourage all scholars, teachers, and administrators serving in the education sector to keep in mind is that education does not exist only within classrooms; it is the foundational pillar that shapes the nation’s future destiny. The policies we set and the programmes we plan must not remain only on paper; they need to be practically implemented on the ground. In particular, teachers play a crucial leadership role in modernizing the education system. Universities must become centres that generate innovation for the nation. Therefore, educational policies at universities will place strong emphasis on developing research-based institutions. Universities and colleges are also encouraged to align their disciplinary research with the practical needs of the State.
Teachers have to simply teach students knowledge and skills; they must also serve as role models in fostering patriotism and strong moral character. If teachers and students work together diligently and harmoniously, a generation of well-rounded and capable young people will emerge, serving as valuable human resources for the nation.
The reforms we have implemented will serve as strong foundational pillars for the country’s socioeconomic development for many years to come. In line with the honorary degree conferred upon me, I wish to express that, on behalf of the State, I will continue to actively support and promote the modernization and advancement of education as a national priority, without losing momentum.
I will always consider myself an alumnus of the University of Yangon and, in that spirit, continue to support and assist in its development from all angles so that it can become a world-class university, honouring its past prestige. Efforts are being made not only to preserve the university’s historic buildings but also to ensure that teaching and research meet international standards. This aims to create a proud educational environment for future generations. The University of Yangon will continue to stand as a beacon of knowledge, nurturing outstanding human resources for the nation for many decades to come.
In conclusion, I view the honorary doctorate awarded to me today not just as a personal honour, but as recognition for all the teachers and education officials who are diligently working to advance the nation’s education sector. I do not accept this honorary degree as an individual achievement; rather, I see it as a new responsibility to serve the country. It inspires me to further dedicate my efforts to fulfilling educational duties for the State and the people.
If all of us work together, building the nation on education, Myanmar will surely become a strong and respected country on the global stage in the not-too-distant future. I pledge to continue striving to make the nation’s and its citizens’ future brighter and stronger, fulfilling the hopes of the people. I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude to the Rector of the University of Yangon and all senior fellows for this honour.
MNA/TTA
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