THE Union Solidity and Development Association is conducting free classes for matriculation tuition at its office in Yangon’s Sanchaung township with the aim of helping underprivileged students prepare for exams in March.

“We are providing classes for students who cannot afford to attend private tuition classes,” said association secretary U Htay Aung.

The classes, which started on December 6 and last for three months, include more than 60 students who have been rejected from state schools for failing the examinations two times.

The classes, which are led by volunteer private tuition teachers, are held every Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm to accommodate students who hold fulltime jobs.

U Htay Aung said people can join the classes at any time and new students are still being accepted, but they require a recommendation letter from township authorities and must accept the strict classroom rules.

“We provide textbooks, notebooks and other stationery to the most needy students, but we also remove students who disrupt the classes,” he said.

The association’s program has proven successful in the past, with a matriculation pass rate last year of 70 of 120 students, said U Htay Aung.
“We want to produce educated people and improve community education standards,” he said.

The association started the charity tuition program in 2002 and has since then taught about 500 students, more then half of whom have the pass sed the matriculation exam.

“We get no money for running the program, but we derive great satisfaction and happiness from it,” U Htay Aung said, adding that the association plans to hold ... smiilar the classes next year.

The Union Solidity and Development Association was founded in 1993 to foster community development. Its projects include maintaining roads and drainage systems, preventing dengue fever, raising fire awareness, and opening community healthcare clinics.