Sittwe (Akyab), Arakan State: There has been a reduction of 40 per cent students in Arakan state primary and middle schools in the academic year 2008-09 compared to the previous academic year, said a school headmaster on condition of anonymity.

The numbers of students in Ponagyun, Mrauk U, Kyauktaw, Myinbya, Rathedaung, Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships have come down this academic year because they have to buy schools books and other necessary materials from out side. This year school books and other equipments are not being provided by the school. The parents of the students have to buy them from outside at high prices.

For a primary student, parents have to buy books and other necessary equipments worth between Kyat 20,000 to 250,000 while for a middle school student parents have to fork out Kyat 40,000 to 50,000. As a result, some students were taken out of school as their parents were not able to bear the expenses.

During the constitutional referendum campaign in May 2008, the authorities promised villagers that this year students would not have to pay school fees. Though students do not have to pay school fees, they have to bear the other expenses, said a parent

A report on this was sent to the Western Command Commander's office in Ann, Arakan State by the Arakan State Education Officer recently. He collected the reports from the concerned township education officers of Arakan, according to official sources.