Schools in Maungtaw, Rakhine State reopens

November 19, 2017

Schools that were temporarily closed due to ARSA terrorist attacks in Rakhine State on 25 August were reopened in early October.

Kanyin Tann Post Primary Schools in Maungtaw which was reopened from the first week of the month and attended by Islamic and other students and they can now study in the school peacefully.

The headmistress of the school Daw Khin Thet said, “Our school was reopened on 3 November and most are Islamic students, a few are Hindu. At the beginning, there were about two students who came and studied in the school but now even over 100 are studying peacefully.

Students who are attending from the Kindergarten to sixth grade, a total of 1,854 students, are being taken care of by 15 local education staffs. The school reopening plan was being supervised by Ministry of Education.

Students are Islamic and Hindus from Kanyin Tan ward in Maungtaw Township.

“A storm named Mora which hit Western Rakhine State on 30 May 2017 destroyed some class rooms and building of the schools including roofs and now we need a new school building for our students,” said headmistress Daw Khin Thet.

Headmistress Daw Khin Thet said that since the cyclone destroyed the building, all the students have to be combined in one room and the noise prevents effective teaching from taking place. “That’s why we need a new school building quickly and many parents are requesting it as well,” she said.

When asked if there were students who fled with their families abroad after the terrorist attacks, the headmistress said there were some instances like that. “Yesterday during roll call, there were ten students missing,” she said.

U Aye Kwaye, a primary teacher, said school officials and community elders have notified religious buildings and mosques to sent children back to school. U Aye Kwaye said, “After notifying them there has been an increase in the number of students a tending.”

The Office of the Education Consultant in Maungtaw District announced that there are 128 schools left to be reopened out of the total 184 schools in the district. “There isn’t any particular difficulty here. Children will be children and they play while the teacher is teaching,” said U Aye Kwaye. “There is a slight language barrier and the Muslim students only attend half the day on Friday because they have to go to the mosque,” he said.

News Team (MNA)

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar