THE number of applicants to sit for the annual exam on the life and teachings of the Buddha offered by the Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA) dropped by about 10 percent this year, said an official from the association.

The 59th Examination on the Buddhavamsa (Biography of the Buddha) and Mangala Sutta (38 Blessings) was held on December 2 at 680 exam centres in all states and divisions of the country.

Association general secretary U Sein Than told The Myanmar Times that more than 72,000 candidates sat for the exam, compared with last year’s enrolment of about 80,000.

“This year enrolment dropped a little because the association lost contact with ... school teachers in other states and divisions who teach local children according to YMBA’s curricula,” he said.

He said enrolment was highest in Yangon and Ayeyarwady divisions this year.
YMBA, famous for its role in the country’s independence movement in the early decades of the 20th century, has been teaching courses on the Buddhavamsa and Mangala Sutta to students throughout the country since 1948.

Examinees are divided into three levels according to age: eight years and up (Level 1), 12 years and up (Level 2) and open age (Level 3). More than 45,000 candidates took the Level 1 exam this year, U Sein Than said.

He said YMBA sends its curricula to local teachers and monks around the country so they can help youngsters prepare for the exam throughout the year.

After students take the exam on the designated date, the exam centres send the answer papers to the association to be corrected by government retirees and YMBA executive members.

YMBA was founded in 1906 in Yangon by a group of Buddhist patriots with the aim of promoting national spirit, literature, Buddhism and the educational standards of everyone in the country.

Although it started as a religious body, YMBA became involved in political affairs and was the first organisation to promote independence from the British colonialists. After 1948, the association resumed its focus on religion.