Education budget support programme of the European Union (EU) was officially launched by U Tun Tun, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Planning and Finance and Kristian Schmidt, EU Ambassador on 21 March 2019 in Myanmar. The ceremony was attended by Union Minister of Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi, Union Minister of Planning and Finance U Soe Win, and officials of their respective ministries and the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations. The EU support Myanmar EUR 221 million (more than MMK 380 billion) for better quality of education for all students.
Between 2019 and 2022, the EU will provide EUR 175 million (more than MMK 300 billion) direct to the Ministry of Education budget for improvement of secondary education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and public finance management. EUR 46 million (MMK 80 billion) will use for technical expert assistance to the government in achieving these improvements. Technical assistance will be provided through the Asian Development Bank, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the World Bank. EUR 20 million (MMK 35 billion) will use to improve education quality in ethnic areas. The EU programme will assist in implementation of National Education Strategic Plan 2016-2021 and it will support the Ministry of Education in modernizing curricula, teaching methods and assessment systems in secondary education and TVET. It also aims at improving quality, transparency and accountability in the public finance management and budget oversight systems, to support more effective delivery of education services.