Aung San received his primary education at the U Thaw Bita Buddhist monastic school in Natmauk. In grade seven he moved to Yenangyaung to attend the Yenanchaung Anglo-Vernacular National High School, where his eldest brother, Ba Win, had become a teacher. Aung San wanted to go to the school because he envied his older brothers' ability to speak English, and refused to eat any food until his parents allowed him to attend. After one year of study he was ranked the top student among all vernacular and Anglo-vernacular schools in Burma, after which he was awarded a government scholarship of ten kyats per month for the rest of his time in high school. He was able to complete the last three years of high school in only two years (with distinctions in Burmese and Pali), enabling him to continue collecting this scholarship during his first year at university. His favourite subjects in school were literature and history. While in high school he also worked as the editor of the Yenanchaung National School newsletter.