Of the more than 17,000 monks who took the 2022 government’s Dhammasarya exam, approximately  1,300 passed.  The exam was released on June 16, with the results showing a very low pass rate.

In 2020, more than 76 percent of monks taking the exam passed; in 2021, it was 18.5 percent.

Sayadaw Khemar Nanda from Nandawan Monastery in Thanbyuzayat Township said, “ the government’s exams are not easy to pass, There are only over 260 who passed. There have been many winners in previous years, but this year, it is likely that there are many losers.”

In Mon State, there were more than 1,200 respondents taking the exam, 27 monks passed three scriptures, 25 monks passed two scriptures and 43 students passed one scripture.  Only 95 monks passed the exam, which translates to a pass rate of almost 8%.

“The questions are not very difficult. They failed the exam because they could not answer and did not qualify. It is not because of the government. Mon monks are not the only ones who are not successful. The whole country is not doing well,” remarked Sayadaw, a member of the examination committee.

Due to the Covid pandemic, all schools were closed during the Waso (July) (Myanmar Month) period, and schools were reopened only after the Thadingyut (October) (Myanmar Month) period.