Kachin State Comprehensive University (KSCU), the first federal university supported by Burma’s National Unity Government-in-exile, held its first graduation ceremony on 25 February at Sinpraw Majoi Hall in Laiza, the de facto headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO).
Dr Zaw Wai Soe, Minister of the NUG Education Department, and Deputy Minister Daw Ja Htoi Pan spoke at the graduation ceremony. After, KSCU President Lt-Gen Sumlut Gunmaw proudly presented the graduates with their certificates.
“KSCU is an important university for our revolution,” said Dr Zaw Wai Soe, as it can “fulfil the dreams of students in the Kachin region. It’s the first step of federal democracy education for our future federal democracy union.”
KSCU opened its doors on 12 September to provide higher education to students who had joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) against the military regime taught by professors who also joined the protest movement.
Sixty-three students have graduated from the university, which offers courses in Myanmar, English, chemistry, geography, law, economics, history, philosophy and psychology. They were in their final years when they enrolled in KSCU after their education was suspended for several years because of the pandemic and then the coup.
According to Lt-Gen Sumlut Gunmaw, now they have graduated, they’ll “work for the community”.
He said: “Our citizens are still trying to achieve self-determination. At the moment, experts, think tanks, youth, government employees (CDMers) and other people across the country have participated in this revolution…All graduates will have to work hard during the revolutionary period and beyond.”
