Parents of Rih high school students are in a spot over extra school fees as teachers are collecting money and taking Kyat 2000 per student a month, reports state.

Extra classes were started from September for middle and high school students every week day from morning 6 to 8 and evening 4 to 6 in Rih high school, in the sub-township of Falam, Chin state, western part of Burma

"If a student does not attend extra classes the teachers will not favour students. They don't take proper classes during the regular period, but they teach very well during extra classes. So even if we don't have money our children have to take the extra class," a local person said.

Some parents are facing a massive problem as they have two or three children who have to take extra classes, he added.

There are 700 students and 25 teachers in Rih high school.

The reason for taking extra classes and demanding money is that the teachers do not earn enough from their regular salaries given the rise in prices of everything. Extra classes fetches them side income, he said.

A Burmese teacher who is living in Mizoram told Khonumthung that the main reason may be the effort teachers take in order to get more time to take class. At the same time it can be their additional side income as we already know the economic crisis in Burma .

The students also take the classes seriously as they are taking tuitions in all the subjects for the ensuing examination. Therefore, they give it more priority than regular classes.

In Chin state a headmaster of high school can earns Kyat 1 lakh while other teachers earn Kyat 70,000. A Middle school teacher earns Kyat 50,000 and primary teacher earns Kyat 35000 a month.