Schools Are No Longer Schools For Rohingya Students

Maung Aye

RB Article

June 2, 2013

During the violence against Rohingyas last year, hardly was any Rohingya student able to go to school. There were many reasons for it. Particularly, they could not enroll their courses at school because they needed to avoid the wild Rakhine Buddhists and the brutal Burmese Armed Forces. As a result, thousands of Rohingya students had to discontinue their education last year. As the new school season is going to begin, Rohingya students, amidst many difficulties, are curiously preparing to continue their study. Despite losing one year during the targeted-violence, they seem very happy to resume their studies. 

However, the path to their studies is not an easy one. As they proceed to Basic Education High School (BEHS) 1, Maung Daw, for admission, the respective authority at the school reject them saying that they (the school authority) cannot register them because they were absent last year. And they are asked to take permission from the headmaster of the school. The Headmaster, U Kyaw Zaw Tun, in turn, demands Kyat 20-30 thousands for permission depending on the external appearances and dresses of the students. The minimum amount set to be paid for permission is Kyat 10 thousands. Many poor Rohingyas are finding hard to pay the amount especially because their economy is crippled by the government. 

When asked why the amount is to be paid, the headmaster gives an arbitrary and irrational reply “because you guys involved in torching Rakhines’ houses last year” to the innocent students. Besides, rather cruelly, he threatened some students recently that if his demand was not fulfilled, he would hand them over to the Police. Out of fear, the students had to fulfill his arbitrary demand. It was a blatant extortion of money from Rohingyas and reflects the xenophobic tendency of the headmaster. In Myanmar, since almost all the schools are run by the government, one doesn’t need to pay much admission fees.

In fact, it is an ethic and duty of a teacher to organize and encourage students to continue their studies irrespective to racial and religious differences. But instead of doing so, he is forcing the students to quit their studies. Is he really a teacher or a thug? Is there any other teacher like him in this whole world?

President Thein Sein often gives an excuse that we, Rohingyas, are unedueated and uncivilized. That’s why we are unable to integrate into Majority Burmese society and so we cause problems. It is a blatant lie! How can we be educated? They have erected all the systematic barriers against our education. Despite all our people’s enthusiasm for education, they can’t pursue it. On the other hand, President shamelessly says that we don’t study. Is he out of sense? Is he not an oxymoron? 

Maung Aye is a Rohingya Living in Arakan and graduate in English.