Officials from the Mon Literature and Culture Association (All Mon Region) and Mon National College are arranging to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will allow youth who have completed summer Mon literature and history classes to continue their studies at the university or college level.
The association told IMNA that the MoU aims to support the future education of young people who completed six years of Mon literature and history classes and to attract more Mon youth to the program.
A monk from the Mon Literature and Buddhist Culture Association (All Mon Region) said committees have already been formed and preparations are underway for the MoU, but further coordination with Mon National College is still needed, so the agreement is expected to be signed in the 2026–2027 academic year.
“Most youth attending the summer Mon classes are not from Mon national schools, so they have no clear path to Mon National College. Since they have studied Mon literature for six years and meet the qualifications, we want to create that opportunity. That is why both sides are preparing to sign the MoU,” the monk said.
There are also plans to sign another MoU to allow graduates of the Mon literature and history classes to continue their studies not only at Mon National College but also at Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University in Thailand, the monk added.
A monk involved in Mon literature activities said that if the plan of the Mon Literature and Buddhist Culture Association (All Mon Region) is successfully implemented, more youths may become interested in the summer Mon language classes, and the number of participants could increase.
“After attending the six-year summer Mon language course, there will no longer be questions about what the results are or how the knowledge can be used. It will also help support youth in continuing their education,” he said.
Creating new education opportunities could help revive the summer Mon language classes, as the number of students studying Mon literature and history has been declining each year.
Summer Mon language classes are currently being held in different Mon areas, but interest remains low as many parents prefer their children to attend English language and technical courses in towns.
Mon literature activists urged parents to encourage their children to attend summer Mon language classes to help preserve the Mon language and identity.
Last year, more than 1,000 youths from Mon areas, including those in Thailand, took the summer Mon literature and history exams. Those who completed the courses were honoured at a ceremony organised by the Mon Literature and Culture Association (Covering the Entire Mon Region).
