Employees of the education department and students will be unable to participate in the 65th Chin National Day because the historic day is celebrated on 20 February every year and the date coincidences with the final examination schedule of schools of Chin state, Burma.
An agreement was reached between the Chin National Front (CNF) and Chin state government on 19 December 2012 that the Chin National Day would be declared a state holiday
“I had proposed to the state education officials to delay the school’s final examination because of the agreement between the CNF and state government officials to have a state holiday but the proposal was rejected by the local authorities,” said Pu Lal Maung Cung, a representative of state Hluttaw.
It is learnt that the final examination of students of Chin state will be held from 19 February 2013 under the No. 2, Basic education department of Burma which includes upper Burma.
“The government should declare a holiday on 20 February. We also want to participate on the historic day. All Chin students will be concentrating on examination on that day” said a school teacher of Than Tlang middle school.
The 65th Chin National Day will be celebrated officially in the state which was forcibly changed to Chin state day by the Burmese government during the rule of the Burma Social Programme Party (BSPP) regime, led by General Ne Win, who assumed power in a military coup in 1962.
The Chin National Front proposed to add Chin National Day and Chin State Day separately in the official calendar of Burma because Chin National Day is a date of historical importance that emerged through the course of the Chin ethnic group’s struggle for self-determination.
Some ministers of the Union government, guests from inside and outside Burma, state government officials and some Chin singers will be participating in the Chin National Day celebration in Hakha, the capital of state.
Besides, football matches in different areas of Than Tlang, traditional dances and Chin traditional sports will be conducted in Than Tlang Town of Chin state during the 65th Chin National Day celebration. The flag of Chins will be hung in every household of Than Tlang Town.