The Burmese military regime's 'Free Primary Education' scheme is still uncertain in some parts of the country, ethnic students and parents feel.
The Burmese government inaugurated a few schools after registration which was held from May 25 to May 31. The primary schools in Rangoon ( Yangon ) for the first time introduced 'Free Primary Education' this year, according to the parents of the students. Burmese primary schools start from grade 1 to 5.
"I have just come back after sending my child to school. This year it cost nothing both for registration and books," Daw Kyin Than, parent of a primary student in Rangoon said. "I am not sure why we have got it free this year," she added.
However, parents in the ethnic areas are still unsure whether their children will have access to the free primary education.
In Mon state and Karen state some primary schools have cost a little amount and some have cost a lot, but none of them have been free said both students and parents in these regions.
People from both regions said they did not understand the definition of the Burmese government's "Free Primary Education" scheme because although the teachers used the words---- free primary education, they still asked for some money.
The primary school in Moulmein (Mawlamyine) capital of Mon state costs 400 kyat and in Mudon Township it costs 200 kyat for each student, said the parents in these townships.
"I do not think the money paid at the outset includes the cost of the text book," Daw Toe from Moulmein said.
Nai Min Moe, a tutor from the University of Mawlamyine , capital of Mon state said they had started free primary education in most of the schools in the state from this year.
The primary school in Karen state called the Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) on the Thai-Burma Border Township asked students from grade 1 to come with 145 Baht (Thai currency) and increased 20 Baht for each grade until grade 5, according to the parents in the township. The TPP Border Township uses both Thai and Burmese currency and one Baht is equal to 35 kyat currently.
"I did not hear about the free primary education scheme. I went to register my children on Friday and for one child from grade 1 the cost was 145 baht and it increased by 20 baht for each grade until grade 5," said a parent of a student of Three Pagoda Pass Township .
Before the Burmese military regime held constitutional referendum, the teachers who were involved in the Commission for Referendum in Mon state held campaigns for the public stating that the schools would initiate the free primary education scheme.
The military regime held the Referendum and approved the Constitution last month, while a record 2.4 million people were affected by the Cyclone Nargis.
In the current approved Constitution, the military regime has included free primary education.
Dr Thein Lwin, Director of the Migrant Learning Center analyzed the Constitution and said that the free primary education was just not enough, while the United Nation ranks free education for universal children until the ninth grade.
Burma had earlier introduced "free primary education" in the Constitution in 1947 and 1974 but it had never come into being, he added.
