The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGP) Scheme, granted US$93,117 for a humanitarian program entitled “The Project for Construction of Shwe Bon Thar Monastic Primary School in Daik-U Township, BagoRegion”.The hand-over and opening ceremony of Shwe Bon Thar Monastic Primary School was held on January 9,2013.

H.E. Mr. Mikio NUMATA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Chief Monk SayadawBhaddantaZawtika, Chairman U Tin Yu and members of the School Construction Committeetogether with Village Elders attended the said ceremony.

Shwe Bon Thar Monastic Primary School,located at Kyaiksakaw(East) Village in Daik-U Township, opened in 1950for the children of poor families fromKyaiksakaw and near-by villages.Although the school opened very long ago, there were no separate classrooms in the monastery compound and almost all religious buildings were being used for classrooms of about 570 students. The students are learning their lessons under tight and congested situation in monastic buildings. Despitethe Sayadaw (Chief Monk) and School ConstructionCommittee members were seeking to construct a new school building for ever increasing students, they facedfinancial difficulties.

Undersuch circumstances, the Government of Japan has decided to provide fundingfor construction of atwo storeyedR.C. school building with four class-rooms, toilets, walkway, water supply system and school furniture forShwe Bon TharMonastic Primary School through its GGPScheme.It is expected that this assistance willprovide the students with better learning and sanitation environmentof the school and further strengthen existing friendly relations betweenJapan and Myanmar.