KTCS

The history of Kachin Theological College & Seminary (KTCS) can be traced back to 1901. Rev. Dr. Ola Hanson, a missionary, who translated the Bible into Kachin language, introduced Bible classes for Kachin and Karen evangelists somewhere in Myitkyina, Bhamo and Nam Hkam in 1901. Rev. Sword, another American missionary, also established a small Bible School in Nam Hkam. These Bible classes could be considered as the forerunners of KTCS.

However, the actual formation of Kachin Bible School took place not until 1932. In 1930, three of the Kachin leaders: Maran Robin (Myitkyina), Lahpai Zau Tu (Bhamo), and Labya De (Shan State) requested at the Convention meeting of the Board of American Baptist Mission Headquarters in Yangon to grant a separate Bible school for the Kachin church. Consequently, the request was accepted and finally led to the initial plan for the formation of the Kachin Bible School. While this formation was in process, Rev. George J. Gies and Mrs. Gies, a former retired missionary couple, were requested to return to Kachin State and resume their ministry as the principal of the Bible School. Arriving back in Bhamo in 1931, the Kachin Bible School was established in the mission compound of Bhamo on June 1, 1932. The Bible School was started with 9 students in the first year.

On April 15, 1935, the Bible School was moved to Kutkai in the northern Shan State. This time, the school was able to offer a two-year course. The main aim and purpose were to help the students improve in their preaching and witnessing the gospel. The school prepared its curriculum to meet the immediate needs of the new Kachin faith community, who had recently converted from an animistic background. The classes were interrupted by the political situation in the country between 1942 and 1945. The school was able to resume its teaching work in April 1946. From 1950, the Bible School accepted the students who passed the 7th standard. While this academic transition was in process, the Bible School was again moved far up to Nawng Nang, Myitkyina, Kachin State, the northern part of Myanmar, in 1966.

In 1974, the school was upgraded to offer a four-year diploma course. Again, the Layman Course was integrated in 1976, which was later replaced by the LTh course in 1985. In September 1982, Kachin Theological School became a member of ATESEA. Although it had yet to be approved by the ATESEA, the BTh program was started in 1990. In 1990, Rev. Dr. Saga Hkyen Naw, who returned from the USA with a DMiss degree, was appointed as Acting Principal. In 1993 Rev. Dr. Saga Hkyen Naw became the principal and under his leadership, the college received its accreditation for the LTh and the BTh programs from ATESEA.

As the college has been encouraged by the ATESEA, the MDiv program was started in the 1996-1997 academic year and was accredited in 2000. In 1998, the Bible School of Kutkai which existed independently since 1966 became an affiliated School of Kachin Theological College. (This KTCS – branch school in Kutkai continues its Layman Course, Diploma, and LTh in Kachin vernacular. The college also started its BTh program in 2006).

As KTCS moves toward the 21st century, the college remembers the Diploma and the LTh graduates who are serving in the respective local church ministry. Thus, at the beginning of the 2003-2004 academic year, the college started to offer the Bachelor of Ministry (BMin) program. The aim and purpose of the BMin course are to update and upgrade the theological education of experienced ministers and to encourage the community-based church ministry. With the same aim and purpose, KTCS launched a new academic program, the Master of Ministry (MMin) in 2011. In the same academic year, KTCS also launched a long-awaited program, Master of Arts in Christian Studies (MACS) with the purpose of promoting lay theological education.

The school started a liberal arts program called Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies (BATS) which was later renamed College of Liberal Arts Program (CLAP) in 2013. In the CLAP program, the master's program (Music, Education) will start in 2024. As the school has been encouraged by the ATESEA, the MTh Program was started in the 2018-2019 Academic Year, and the DMin program and MMin (Kachin) program were started in the 2022-2023 academic year for higher theological education.

KTCS offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree in collaboration with other two schools: Myanmar Institute of Theology and Karen Baptist Theological Seminary, collectively known as the Institute of Myanmar Graduate Studies (IMGS) from 2020. The member schools share all responsibilities of the Institute of Myanmar Graduate Studies equally.

KTCS made a significant milestone in 2008 as she celebrated the 75th anniversary Diamond Jubilee. In order to establish a monument for the anniversary, the working committee of the Diamond Jubilee constructed the three-story Diamond Jubilee Building, which is able to accommodate over one hundred students. After the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, KTCS makes another great effort to build a Main Building, which provides classrooms, meeting rooms, faculty offices, a student recreation centre, and other multi-function rooms. The construction of the Main Building was completely finished in March 2015. In 2012, KTCS launched a liberal arts program, which is much needed for the Kachin community.

KTCS had admirable principals in her long history: Rev. Lahpai Zau Yaw (1946-1965); Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Gum Se (1966-1993); Rev. Dr. Saga Hkyen Naw (1993-2010); and Rev. Dr. Nalaw Dai Hkawng (2010-2018). In the 2018-2019 academic year, KTCS has seen a new president Rev. Dr. Zinghang Lat Nawng, formerly a vice-president of KTCS, who was elected as the new president of KTCS in 38h Quadrennial General Mass Meeting of Kachin Baptist Convention which was celebrated in Waimaw. Under the new president’s leadership, the college is pressing toward holistic development and theological education that is sound and relevant to the churches and society as a whole.