Four students leaders involved in recent Myanmar protests will discuss the dynamics of education reform and student activism in contemporary Myanmar. They all played a key role in the latest student protest movement, against a 2014 National Education law aiming to curb academic freedoms.

The movement attracted wide support from teachers, university academics, civil society organisations and the larger Burmese public. The students’ 11 demands for changes to the law included ensuring the freedom to form the student unions, instruction in local languages within ethnic areas, greater autonomy for universities and the allocation of 20% of the national budget to education.

Four leading members of the All-Burma Federation of Student Unions will participate in this event. They were all arrested for protesting against the former government’s controversial education bill in March 2015. The prosecutors decided to drop charges after State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi stated that releasing the detainees was an urgent priority of the new government on 8th of April 2016.

Honey Oo is studying Law at University of East Yangon. She is a head of the finance committee of All-Burma Federation of Student Unions Central Working Committee.
Thiha Win Tin is studying Law at University of East Yangon. He is a leading member of All-Burma Federation of Student Unions, Central Working Committee.
Moe Htet Nay is studying in English at Mandalay University. He is a leading member of All-Burma Federation of Student Unions, Central Working Committee.
Min Thawe Thit is studying in Botany at University of East Yangon. He is a joint secretary of All-Burma Federation of Student Unions, Central Working Committee. He is also teacher and a committee member of National Network for Education Reform.