Feature: Myanmar students highlight multilingual education benefits on int’l literacy day

YANGON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) — Myanmar on Sunday celebrated International Literacy Day, with students sharing benefits by learning multiple languages.
Soe Lin Oo, a 32-year-old engineer from Tanintharyi township in Tanintharyi region, speaks four languages: Burmese, English, Chinese and local dialect Myeik.
“Mastering multiple languages can help promote peace and understanding,” he said, praising late former UN Secretary-General U Thant, a Burmese national who was fluent in English for his work for resolving conflicts.
Now working for an international company, Soe Lin Oo said his boss is German, and his colleagues speak both English and Chinese. “Being able to communicate in these languages has helped me work effectively in this diverse environment,” he explained.
“At home, we speak Myeik, and I learned Burmese and English at school. I started learning Chinese in 2018. I chose to learn it because China is our neighbor, and Chinese communities are present all over the world,” he said.
Regarding learning new languages today, he noted that the Internet has made it easier, with resources like YouTube and online courses readily available.
“All you need is the desire to learn,” he said, adding, “It’s never too late. I started learning Chinese after I graduated, and what truly matters is having a strong passion to learn.”
Cho Cho Theint, a 21-year-old university student in Yangon, said, “Learning new languages allows me to make friends with people from different cultures.”
After learning different languages, she said that she gained a deeper understanding of various cultures and people from other countries.
“I speak Burmese, English and Japanese. I learned Burmese and English at school and Japanese through online classes,” she said.
“With English, I can quickly learn new skills online, like fixing some errors of my phone,” she added.
“Learning multiple languages is beneficial for studying and working in a multicultural and multilingual environment,” she said, stressing the importance of mastering one’s mother tongue while learning foreign languages.
Ye Naing, a 28-year-old English teacher in Yangon, said, “Learning multiple languages is very beneficial. The world has become like a village now.”
He speaks Burmese and English and recently started learning Chinese. “I started learning Chinese because I want to better understand their culture. Chinese people are known for their strong work ethic,” he said.
An official from the Ministry of Education highlighted that multilingual education helps students understand the diverse world around them and fosters their ability to think about peace.
“As the world becomes a global village, learning and appreciating different cultures is crucial for achieving mutual understanding. Multilingual education plays a vital role in reaching this goal,” the official added.
Myanmar is home to over 130 ethnic groups, each with its own language or dialect. While Burmese is the official language, many students grow up speaking their native languages at home, learn Burmese at school, and later pick up English or Chinese.
Statistics based on the 2019 census from the Ministry of Education show that over 33 million out of over 37 million Burmese people aged 15 and above are able to read and write.
According to the ministry, Myanmar has 168 private schools offering international curricula in English, and 455,394 students across the country are learning ethnic languages in schools. ■