By Celia Russell | Trustee, Tekkatho Foundation
Government education in Myanmar is in freefall, with the military coup dashing hopes of schools re-opening and children returning to the classroom.
Primary and secondary schools reopened in June, the start of the new academic year. But many parents have not enrolled their children this year. Most teachers at government schools have stayed away too. A father of a child in Grade 1 told us: “It is difficult for me to decide not to enrol my son. Yet, I chose the right thing for my son's safety. How can I let him study in this chaotic situation? Hope we can get the better education soon." Another parent told us: “Soldiers are guarding the schools and looking after the kids. Education is important whether it is government school or not, but there are soldiers instead of teachers, and we see soldiers let children play with their weapons. It is not suitable.”
Meanwhile the number of people displaced by coup violence is growing, with an estimated 53,000 new refugees, around half school-aged kids. Our work continues with a refugee agency in border camps in Kachin and Shan. We are expanding educational provision in the camps to deliver the new curriculum materials, to make sure that children displaced by the military coup don’t lose their education as well as their homes. This would not be possible without your continued support - Thank you!
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