Myanmar Universities Suspend Exams as First COVID-19 Cases Confirmed

By The Irrawaddy 24 March 2020

YANGON—Examinations at many universities across Myanmar have been suspended after two COVID-19 cases were confirmed by the government Monday around midnight.

University examinations started last Thursday and were scheduled to continue until April 1.

Some universities have decided to suspend their examinations and others are planning to do so, U Ko Lay Win, director general of the Ministry of Education, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

He added that the ministry has not mandated that exams be suspended as it has to wait for instructions from the Myanmar President Office.

“All universities don’t want to take the risk since the country has found positive cases of COVID-19. All universities will definitely be suspending or postponing their examinations,” said U Ko Lay Win.

He also said that the ministry has officially stopped grading university matriculation exams as well as standardized tests for grades 5 and 8.

The health ministry said two Myanmar nationals—a 36-year-old travelling from the United States and a 26-year-old returning from the UK—have tested positive for COVID-19.

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