YANGON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The over a century-old Basic Education High School (BEHS) No.-1, Dagon in Myanmar's former capital of Yangon has been awarded a blue plaque to be marked as an ever-memorial heritage building by the Yangon Heritage Trust, according to the education authorities Monday.
The historical school is known as having nurtured numerous well-known state leaders including President U Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as other noted scholars, intellectuals, entrepreneurs and artists.
The blue plaque was inaugurated by Minister of Education Dr. Myo Thein Gyi, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein and the region's parliament speaker U Tin Maung Htun Sunday.
The basic education high school, formerly an all-girls Methodist School and first opened in 1882, was built in Victorian architectural style but it was closed for six years following the World War II.
During the Japanese colonialisation, the school served as the Office of the Burmese Independence Army (BIA).
After the war, the school underwent renovation and reopened in 1947 .
On Feb. 20, 1952 after Myanmar's independence, then President Sao Shwe Thaik renamed the school as Methodist English School.
In April 1965, missionary schools in Myanmar were appropriated as public property and the school was placed under the Education Ministry and the school was again renamed as BEHS No. 1 accommodating 7,000 students now.
