Basic Education High School No. 9 Mawlamyine

Before the British colonial period, the education system in Burma was primarily driven by Buddhist monasteries at least since the 11th century. The Buddhist monastic school system gave Burma a literacy rate considerably higher than those of other Asian countries in the early 1900s. In the colonial period, the British administration and Christian missionaries founded Western education centers including St. Patrick's School (now B.E.H.S. No. 5) of the De La Salle Brothers in Moulmein. In 1869 in Lower Burma, there were 340 "Lay Schools" with 5069 students, providing basic Western education. In comparison, 3438 monastic schools were operating in the region, providing Buddhist education to over 44,000 students.[2] Traditional methods of teaching, however, became obsolete in the British colonial environment. The influence of Buddhist monasteries in towns and villages diminished considerably as well. The retreat of Buddhist monasteries left a vacuum in education, filled increasingly by Christian missionary schools. Threatened by the growth of Christian education, Buddhist Burmese founded several Anglo-Vernacular high schools in the 1890s. Founded in 1899, No. 9 B.E.H.S., then known as Shin Maha Buddhaghosa National School was among the first nationalist schools founded in the region.[3]

The U Thar Nyin Dhammayone

In 1898, several Western educated Burmese saw a need to foster traditional teachings in the context of Western institutions and values. Yan Win, an ethnic Mon alumnus of a British missionary school, was encouraged by his British friend, Commissioner Bernard Houghton to start social work in Moulmein. Meanwhile, lawyer Shwe Thwin and other Burmese scholars were finding ways to establish nationalist institutions.[4] Collaborating, they founded the Sāsanādhāra Society to foster traditional Buddhist teachings.[5] The Society in turn decided to establish the Buddhaghosa National School in 1899 with Yan Win as its headmaster, a position he held until his death in 1906.[5][3] Upon its founding, the school heavily emphasized on Burmese and Pali teachings. The standard textbook for Burmese History was Maha Yazawin by U Kala.

Theipan Maung Wa, a pioneer of the Hkit San literary movement, graduated from the school in 1919.

By 1920, nationalist sentiments ran high in Burma. During this period, a wealthy teak merchant Thar Nyin, the father of a key YMBA leader Chit Hlaing, donated a two-storey teak building to the school named U Thar Nyin Dhammayon, which remains today. One of the pioneers of Burmese literature, Sein Tin, commonly known by his pen name Theippan Maung Wa, matriculated from the school in 1919. Toward the end of colonial era, the nationalist movement continued to gain momentum and the school appointed a well-known Burmese nationalist scholar Hla Thwin as its headmaster.[6] In March 1929, the father of Indian independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi visited Moulmein. In a conference held at the Buddhaghosa School on 13 March 1929, Gandhi addressed to a crowd of 25 Buddhist monks, 100 Burmese women, 800 Burmese men and 300 Indians. Gandhi expressed great pleasure for preponderance of Burmans at the meeting.[7][8]

In 1964, on the eve of nationalization policy enforced by Burmese Socialist Programme Party, the school was nationalized and renamed to No. 9 Basic Education High School Mawlamyine.[3] Its former name continues to be used side by side with official name. The school curriculum and uniforms were changed to align with national standards.

The high school in the 2000s.

The Shin Maha Buddhaghosa High School remains one of the most esteemed high schools in the city. From 2002 to 2006, it had the highest overall matriculation exam passing rates in Mon State. Unlike most renown high schools in Burma, it has maintained a diverse student body, covering all walks of life and ethnicity. In a nod to its founding principles, the school celebrates the Burmese National Day Festival every year, featuring traditional games, foods and dances. The school has a reputation for instilling patriotism into students and has its own anthem.[1]