1st day of school for children in storm-damaged Rakhine

June 1, 2017

Students across Myanmar returned for the first day of school of the 2017-2018 academic year, including children in Rakhine State, where several schools were damaged on Tuesday by Cyclone Mora.

Fast and timely completion of repair work on storm-damaged schools in Maungtaw and Buthidaung allowed many students to return to school on time, though some schools in rural areas of the two Rakhine State townships are still under repair, according to the Maungtaw District Education Office.

“School heads managed to complete the repair works timely with responsibility. So, students go to school today,” said Rakhine State Social Affairs Minister Dr Chan Thar. Cyclone Mora wreaked havoc in northern Rakhine three days ago, leaving transportation and communications in chaos and causing a loss in power to the township as the storm crossed into Bangladesh on Tuesday.

In Nay Pyi Taw, Basic Education Schools also opened yesterday morning.

At the Basic Education Schools of Nay Pyi Taw, which are located near the main road, many traffic police were seen helping students on the way to school.

“Many students with white and green uniforms were seen going to their respective schools since the early morning”, said one parent. All students from kindergarten to the 10th standard received uniforms, textbooks and exercise books under the government’s free education programme.

Entrance fees plus library, sports and stationery fees were not collected at the time at the enrollment at the schools.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar