Closing Ceremony of the Intensive English Proficiency Course
Tuesday, 28th July 2026, at the KBZ International Meeting Hall
Overview
The Shan State Buddhist University held the closing ceremony of its Intensive English Proficiency Course on Tuesday, 28th July 2026, at the KBZ International Meeting Hall. The ceremony brought the three-month course to a formal end. It gathered students, volunteer teachers, and guests from several institutions to mark the work of the past months and to honour those who took part.
The course drew support from more than one school. Teachers and novices came from IH International House in Mandalay, from Tr. Su International School in Yangon, and from Shan State Buddhist University itself. Their presence at the closing showed the shared effort behind the training.
Opening of the Ceremony
Novice Janaka of Panglong and Novice Vicitta of Taunggyi served as masters of ceremonies. Registration and arrival of participants began at 6:45 am. The ceremony opened with the lighting of candles and the recitation of “Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa” three times, offered in homage to the Triple Gems. This simple act set a calm and respectful tone for the morning.
Words of Thanks
A series of thanks followed the opening. These came from students of the different schools that joined the course, and each was offered in the language chosen by the speakers.
Novice Nandavamsa of IH International House, Mandalay, gave the first vote of thanks.
Novice Vayama of Tr. Su International School, Yangon, followed with his own words of gratitude.
Novice Kondiñña and Novice Kusala of Shan State Buddhist University then offered thanks in English.
Novice Khemida and Novice Vicittācāra, also of Shan State Buddhist University, gave their thanks in Myanmar and Pāli.
The use of several languages reflected the aim of the course itself. Students had spent three months building their skill in English, yet the ceremony still made room for Myanmar and Pāli. Each speaker thanked the teachers, the organisers, and the university for the chance to learn.
Reflections on the Course
The ceremony then turned to reflection. Ven. Āriya shared his remarks on the Intensive English Proficiency Course. He looked back on the training and on what the students had gained from it.
Teacher Zin Mon Mon Myat followed with further reflective remarks. Her talk covered the added teaching of Myanmar and astrology alongside the main course, မြန်မာဘာသာနှင့်သဂြိုဟ်ဘာသာ ဖြည့်စွက်သင်ကြားမှုကို ပြန်လည်သုံးသပ်ခြင်း။. These reflections gave the audience a sense of the full range of study offered during the three months.
Teacher Ven. Nandisena shared his remarks on the Pāli and Burmese languages.
Training Reports and Certificates
Ven. Jotika then presented the training reports. These reports set out how the course had run and what the students had completed over its span.
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The ceremony moved next to the presentation of certificates, the heart of the closing. First came certificates of acknowledgement for the volunteer teachers. These teachers had given their time to guide the students, and the university honoured their service. Certificates of completion then went to the students of Shan State Buddhist University who had finished the course.
Language achievement awards followed. Teacher Zin Mon Mon Myat presented the Burmese Language Achievement Award. Teacher Ven. Nandisena presented awards for the Pāli and Burmese languages. These awards recognised students who had shown strong progress in their study of these languages.
Gifts and Closing Remarks
Tr. Su International School of Yangon then offered a gift to the students of Shan State Buddhist University. The school donated tablets, tools that will support the students in their future learning. This donation added a note of generosity to the day.
The Most Ven. Prof. Dr. K. Dhammasami, Founder and Rector of Shan State Buddhist University, gave the closing remarks. As the head of the university and the founder of the course, his words carried weight for all who had taken part. An appreciation certificate was also presented during this part of the programme.
Sharing of Merits and Conclusion
The ceremony drew to a close in the traditional Buddhist way. Those present joined in the sharing of merits, offering the good of the occasion to all beings. The recitation of "Buddhasāsanaṃ ciraṃ tiṭṭhatu" three times brought the ceremony to its end. This phrase expresses the wish that the teaching of the Buddha may last long.
A group photo and a lucky draw session followed the formal programme. These lighter moments gave students and teachers a chance to mark the end of the course together, after the work of the past three months.
Closing Note
The closing ceremony did more than hand out certificates. It gathered students from three schools, honoured the teachers who guided them, and gave thanks in three languages. It showed how a course in English can still hold space for Myanmar and Pāli, and how a modern skill can rest on the older ground of Buddhist practice. The candles, the recitations, and the sharing of merits framed the whole event within the tradition that the university serves.
