Joseph Education College held its fifth graduation ceremony on Saturday, celebrating 30 students who persevered in their studies despite the profound challenges facing Myanmar’s educational system.

The ceremony at the Yangon Summit Parkview Hotel on January 10 honored three bachelor’s degree graduates and 27 Diploma graduates. In his opening address, Headmaster Joseph Win Hlaing Oo framed the achievement as an act of resilience, acknowledging that insecurity and armed conflict had drastically impacted enrollment.

“There are students who had to flee for their safety, and some have already died in conflict areas,” he said. Under normal circumstances, he noted, the graduating class would have exceeded 100 students. He cited a national figure that nearly five million students failed to complete Grade 11 between 2001 and 2024, calling it “a tragedy for the country’s education.”

Bishop Noel Saw Naw Aye highlighted the college’s unique role as the only private Catholic institution in Myanmar offering such diploma and degree programs, open to both clergy and laypeople. “Every baptized person is responsible for proclaiming the Good News,” he said.

He shared an example of interfaith support, noting that a Buddhist monk had endorsed the college’s pastoral training programs, affirming that “every good thing should be encouraged, regardless of religion.”

Bishop John Saw Yaw Han emphasized the rare opportunity of theological education for ordinary people. “We learn many things for our livelihood, but theology prepares us for eternal life,” he said. He drew inspiration from the graduating class itself, which included a 75-year-old recipient of a Bachelor’s degree, proving that “age is never a barrier to learning.”

Graduate Daw Yar Mee thanked the college staff for ensuring learning continued “despite distance and hardship.” Another graduate, Joseph Myat Soe Latt, spoke candidly about his seven-year journey, admitting he often wanted to quit. Seeing the 75-year-old graduate, he said, encouraged him to continue.

Founded in 2015 and officially recognized as a Catholic college by His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo in 2021, Joseph Education College has now produced over 700 graduates. The ceremony concluded with a call for graduates to put their knowledge into action and to promote the college’s mission of accessible, faith-based education to all.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service