Mon Teachers in Kyaikmayaw Still Only Paid 20,000 Kyats a Month

Mon Teachers in Kyaikmayaw Still Only Paid 20,000 Kyats a Month
by -
IMNA

Mon teachers at ethnic Mon national schools in Kyaikmayaw Township still only receive a monthly salary of 20,000 kyats (approx. $15.50 USD) from the Mon National Education Committee.

Mon students at an ethnic Mon national school GS
Mon students at an ethnic Mon national
school (GS)

Mi Aie Non Chan, a vice principal of an ethnic Mon national middle school in Kaw Won Village said: "The committee for the education budget already suggested that in the relevant areas, in order for the teachers to receive 50,000 kyats, the locals should help to support them. But, in our area, it is not like other areas such as Mudon and Thanbyuzayat townships. We are not able to collect support from the locals. We only receive a 20,000 kyats salary from the [Mon] education department,”

In the 2014 to 2015 academic year local organisations donated 100,000 kyats towards Mon teachers salaries. Along with the salary support from MNEC that meant each teacher was paid 30,000 kyats per month for the 2014 to 2015 academic year.

Mi Aie Non Chan said: “It is difficult to collect money [donations] from locals because some send their children to government schools and some send their children to Mon national schools. It is okay to ask for money from parents whose children study at Mon schools, but it is not okay [to ask] parents whose children are studying at government schools and they won’t offer money if we request it.”

He said that the problem of low pay had been reported to the groups responsible for school budgets, but that as yet there had been no extra money issued to them.

Ethnic Mon national schools in Kyaikmayaw Township are administered by the New Mon State Party's (NMSP's) Thaton District branch. A local district education support group planned to get the teacher's pay increased, but it is yet to be successful.

Though the ethnic Mon national schools in in Kyaikmayaw Township are not far from the NMSP’s Thaton District branch the teachers there have yet to receive a salary raise, unlike the teachers at ethnic Mon national schools in Mudon and Thanbyuzayat townships who have already received salary increases.

According to Nai Soe Ni a former member of the NMSP's Moulmein District branch it will be difficult to afford a salary increase at the moment.

Even though a new school building was built at the ethnic Mon national primary school in Karot Kaphon Village by Mawlamyine Cement Ltd at a cost of 40 million kyats the teachers there still only receive a monthly salary of 20,000 kyats. This is the same as the salary received by teachers working at the ethnic Mon national middle school in Kaw Won Village.

The principal of the ethnic Mon national primary school in Karot Kaphon Village said: "We only get a salary of 20,000 kyats a month. Last year we also got 20,000 kyats a month."

In Kyaikmayaw Township, most ethnic Mon national schools are integrated with government schools and there is only one ethnic Mon national middle school and two Mon national primary schools that are not.

Reporting by Guiding Star

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI

March 27, 2024
In Kawt Bein village, Kawkareik township, Karen State, a 2-day armed attack ended on March 25th...
March 27, 2024
According to the New Mon State Party (Anti-Military Dictatorship), the Kawt Bein Village Police...
March 27, 2024
The Junta's brutal bombardment has destroyed more than 90 percent of Hsihseng Township in the Pa...
March 26, 2024
The Arakan Army (AA) cautions the people of Rakhine against succumbing to political traps set by...