Education on human rights will be included in the new school curriculum for Grade 2 students next year, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Education officials met the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) in July 2016 to discuss the inclusion of human rights education for primary schoolchildren.

The ministry implemented the basic education level kindergarten plus 12 (KG+12) education system in the 2016-17 academic year and introduced a new syllabus for the KG standard.

The new curriculum will be implemented for Grade 1 students in the 2017-18 academic year and for Grade 2 the following year.

“We are planning to design a new curriculum for Grade 2. We haven’t started on it yet,” said Dr Khine Myai.

The subject on human rights will be jointly drawn up by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with MNHRC.

“If a person knows about human values and rights from young, they can live the right way. Their thinking skills and consideration will be right,” U Sit Myaing, MNHRC vice president explained why human rights education is important.

He said MNHRC has collected data on the subject for the curriculum for students in Grades 2, 3 and 4.

“We have already drafted the curriculum and need to meet with the ministry officials. And we have to negotiate on what should be taught,” said U Sit Myaing.

The draft of the curriculum for students in Grades 2, 3 and 4 was completed in August 2016.