Myanmar's matriculation pass percentage drops

Myanmar's high school matriculation results for the academic year 2013-14 show a decline in the pass percentage as compared with the previous year's results, media reports said Sunday.

Out of a total of 541,946 students enlisted for the matriculation examination in March, only 171,647 students or 31.67 percent passed, Xinhua quoted the examination board as saying.

The highest pass percentage was in the southwestern Ayeyawaddy region, while the number of students who failed the exam was higher in the far-flung corners of the country.

A father of a female student who won distinctions in five subjects in the year's exam in Thanlyin township, Yangon region said that although they struggled in their lives, they successfully supported their daughter to complete her education.

A mother of another female student, who failed the exam, said she will give her daughter one more chance to try again for next year's exam.

Myanmar's existing university enrolment system completely depends on the marks of the matriculation exam.

Official statistics show there are 41,000 state-operated basic education schools in the country where a total of over 8.1 million students are pursuing education under the guidance of over 270,000 teachers.

The country has over 160 universities and colleges.