Maungdaw, Arakan State: Parents of students are facing difficulty in having their children admitted for the 2011–2012 school year in Maungdaw, according to a parent who recently attempted to register his children.
“The school authorities have announced that children will be registered for school from May 26 – June 5. The school authorities are collecting 1,500 – 2,500 kyats extra per student from the parents who go to register.”
U Shwe Maung Thwe, the Headmaster of Maungdaw Middle School, is asking for 2,500 kyats as an ‘honorable fee’ in addition to each applicants’ fee of 500 kyat per primary student. More money will be required for school textbooks, exercise books, and other materials, said a schoolteacher from Maungdaw Middle School.
“The school authorities have asked middle school section students for 1,500 kyats, plus 500 kyats for each application. The high school level students have to pay 2,000 kyats in addition to the 500 kyats fee.”
“I am not able to pay the money for the admission and textbooks, along with other tools for the school, as I am a daily laborer,” said Hamid, the father of three school-age children.
The parents committee members said the committee has collected donations for the school from the townspeople, and has decided not to collect any money from students who register for the new school year.
However, the middle school headmaster sold the textbooks to outside shops before the school authorities supplied them to the students, said Younous, a trader from Maungdaw who bought dozens of the textbooks.
