An image from an educational CD produced by the Myanmar Information Technology company in collaboration with an international school. Educational CDs and VCDs are gradually gaining acceptance as useful tools for learning.

DEMAND is growing for VCDs and CDs aimed at entertaining children or helping them to learn, say market sources.

“As long as there are children and parents there is a market,” said U Nay Oo, owner of the Htut Khaung music production centre in Kyauktada township which has produced four VCDs for children.

U Nay Oo said Htut Khaung was the only business producing VCDs devoted to children’s entertainment. At least three other companies produce educational VCDs or CDs for children, which sell for about K1000.

“Our first VCD produced in 2002, Pe Pe Gyi Ko Chit Te (We love our father), features songs performed by adults and children,” U Nay Oo said.

It was unexpected success and has sold more than 35,000 copies, he said.

Since then Htut Khaung has produced four VCDs, including Kho Ka Lay Se Kaung (10 pigeons) which features only young singers and has sold more than 12,000 copies. However, because it was not as successful as the first album, Htut Khaung has returned to the adult-child performer format.

“Including adults and children on the VCDs makes them more appealing for parents, so they are more likely to buy,” U Nay Oo said.

The VCDs sell for between K1000 and K1400.

The El Dorado Digital Media company also entered the market for children’s VCDs in 2002. Since then it has produced five educational albums and three albums of animated cartoons, said its managing director, Daw Khin Thawdar Win.

She said the company, also based in Kyauktada township, had initially made interactive CDs to show primary school students how to use computers but weak demand resulted in the decision to produce educational VCDs.

“The educational VCDs we produce are based on the government’s primary school curriculum and make it easier for children to learn,” Daw Khin Thawdar Win said.

“Children prefer to use the VCDs rather than their textbooks,” she said.

Another producer of educational VCDs and CDs is the S.K.S. Co., Ltd., in South Okkalapa township.

Since 2002 it has produced a range of both products, though a director of the company, Daw Khin Myo Lwin, said CDs were more popular than VCDs because students could use them on a computer.

Daw Khin Myo Lwin said the company has produced 10 CDs for students studying English from First to 10th Standard and seven VCDs for students studying English at First, Fifth and 10th Standard levels.

Demand had grown for the VCDs as more students became aware of them.

The Myanmar Information Technology company at Mayangone township has produced educational CDs in collaboration with the Tun International School since 2003.

An assistant manager at the Myanmar Information Technology company, Ma Nang Thinn Swe, said the CDs were sold at computer exhibitions and at the school, in Sanchaung township.

The CDs help children to learn English and also teach basic mathematics and painting as well as games, she said.

“They are very helpful for children,” Ma Nang Thinn Swe said.