Over 60 lecturers campaign against promotions policy at Mawlamyine university

Over 60 lecturers and professors from the Technological University of Mawlamyine have joined a nationwide blue-ribbon campaign against unfair promotion policies at universities. They began the campaign on August 1 in front of the campus in the Mon State capital Mawlamyine (Moulmein).

The instructors join others across the country calling on the Ministry of Education to institute a clear promotion policy that is more fair and consistent than the current one. Many consider the current policy arbitrary and have demanded that the ministry address their complaints by August 4.

“We, the teachers from the TU [Technological University] with a B.E. [Bachelor of Civil Engineering], are only considered assistant lecturers. Within the same ministry there are inconsistencies between departments—in the same department at other universities, those with a B.E. are appointed to full lectures while at TU we remain assistants,” said Daw Aye Su Thu Thu, an assistant lecturer at the Technological University of Mawlamyine.

She added that because they all work for the same Ministry of Education, they were able to launch a nationwide campaign with teachers from other technology and computer universities to demand a fair promotion policy.

“It is not just that other employees get promoted and we want to be promoted as well. It’s a matter of policy. If one person is promoted with a certain level of education and experience, a person with the same qualifications should also be promoted. If promotions are to be given they should be given equally. Every employee wants equal treatment,” said U Aung Ko Win, from the Department of Myanmar.

He said that there is a promotions schedule, but that it is widely ignored.

“We were told that we would be given a promotion after working as an assistant lecturer for 3 years. But I have now been working as an assistant lecturer for seven years and a month. In the same department, other assistant lecturers who finished their M.E. [Masters of Mechanical Engineering] and Ph.D. in the same batches as me have now become full lecturers. I am still working as an assistant,” said Daw Yin Mon Swe, an assistant lecturer at the Technological University of Mawlamyine.

The campaign is led by thousands of teachers from technology and computer universities and medical institutions. It was launched on July 31 and includes universities in Yangon (Rangoon), Mandalay, Taunggyi and Pathein. Teachers at some universities started campaigning on July 25.