English course for Shan youth concluded

English course for Shan youth concluded

Lack of Education the greater enemy, says Shan elder

He found ignorance or lack of education as the worse enemy than the present military oppressors, a Shan elder told the graduates of the first batch of English and computer training course for Shan State youth this morning (22 November). 

"There's a Shan saying: Tiger dies, tiger succeeds; 
Varanus succumbs, varanus replaces. 

If we pay less effort to education, we'll find ourselves soon with a new saying: Tiger dies, kitty succeeds; Varanus succumbs, tree lizard replaces," added Saeng Khaohaeng, 50, a well-known singer who was one of the 20-invited guests at the occasion. 

He was speaking in support of other speakers who said Shan State's human resources were draining alarmingly faster than its rich natural resources and that Shans were lagging far behind other nationalities such as Chins, Kachins and Karens. "For them, it's not a problem at all to find an eligible candidate for any undertaking, be it for further studies abroad or for participating in an international meeting," said Puenkham Payakwong, Chairman of the exiled Shan Education Committee. "But for Shans, it has increasingly become a matter of life and death." 

Hsengnoung Lintner from Shan Women's Action Network and Sao Ternsarng, Secretary General of the Restoration Council were among the other invited speakers. 

The School for English and Computer Training for Shan State Youth, managed by Nang Charmtong and Nang Kham Awng, began 6 months ago on 21 May, with 22 students (male 15 and female 7), two months after Shan candidates for an advanced English course that was launched by the Open Society Institute were turned down. Many of the graduates expressed hope to pass the next entrance exam to be held early next year. 

The Shan school's management told S.H.A.N. applications for the next year would be accepted until 15 December. 

For more information, please contact Nang Charmtong Tel: 053-242781, 01-8854347 and Email "Tong Charm" <charmtong2@yahoo.com>.