According to the Notifcation (7/2018) released by the Myanmar Investment Commission on April 20, 2018, Myanmar Investment Commission may permit the foreign investors to carry out full capital investments in the following types of education services in the form of private schools teaching a curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education and relevant Ministries or an international curriculum. The types of education services permitted for foreign investors are private basic education school, private technical, vocational and training school, private higher education school, private subject based school and private school designated by the Ministry.
The move will create more international education options and opportunities for the local students. A framework should be set up to maintain the quality of investors who enter into the sector. The government should monitor foreign direct investments into the sector and approve only the quality options,” said Khin Hnin Soe, principal and director of Myanmar Metropolitan College.
Foreign investors have highly interested in the Myanmar Education sector even before the notification was released. London-listed Myanmar Strategic Holdings and Auston Institute of Management announced a joint venture to set up and operate a private school in Yangon at the start of the April.
in the Myanmar Education sector even before the notification was released. London-listed Myanmar Strategic Holdings and Auston Institute of Management announced a joint venture to set up and operate a private school in Yangon at the start of the April. Min Khaung, founder of Amara Institute said,” If the government can actively monitor and approve only quality investments that expand students’ options and exposure, everyone will be better off.”
Kyaw Min Khant, secretary of the Myanmar Teachers’ Federation said, “The government is courting FDI into the Myanmar education sector, which is good for the country. But there are no effective educational laws in Myanmar yet. Even though the MIC has approved FDI in local private schools, it is unclear how this will pan out without proper laws and regulations in place at this point.”
According the Notification, these private schools shall comply with the Myanmar Investment Law and Rules. This Notifcation shall remain effective until such time when the law relating to private schools, technical and vocational education and training, and higher education is enacted, and upon such law being enacted, the investor shall comply with it.
