Yangon – In war-torn areas, teachers, who joined Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), are voluntarily running the schools from primary school to middle school in the Sagaing region in efforts to reduce the widening gap of education for children impacted by the continued war.
Myanmar’s education is facing a near-collapse as war has been tearing the country apart.
Chindwin has spoken to the CDM teacher, who is one of the teachers running the school, says, “Parents trust the CDM teachers more than the junta’s teachers and send their children to them.”
Both the volunteer teachers and students run open-space schools and study in fear as they could be arrested or targeted attack by Myanmar’s military junta forces and its militia Pyu Saw Htee group.
In Chin State, Chindwin has learned many villages have started running the schools by themselves since September, as the government’s school system has been effectively collapsed.
Similarly, many areas in Sagaing, Magway, Karen and Kayah regions have the same problem as hundreds of thousands are leaving their villages and towns and seeking temporary shelters due to the continued junta’s military operations.
On the contrary, Dagon high school in Yangon – the largest city in the country, has received a huge turnout of students to have matriculation exams. More than 80% of schools across large cities have reported no big turnout of students.
Many universities remain emptied as no students turn out, but more University students are instead joining local civilian defense forces.