Children of Internally Displaced People (IDP) in hiding in jungles are losing out on their education in Taungoo area under the control of the Karen National Union where the Burmese Army is active, said locals.
About 8,000 IDPs are living in KNU controlled area in Than Taung and Htan Tapin Township, Taungoo district. One third of them are between the ages of 5 and 18 years. Even though these children would like to go to school they cannot because they have to work to eke out a living, given the instability in the area.
There are no permanent schools in these areas in this academic year. Now five to ten families have made a group and some parents teach their children basic writing and reading, said Saw El War a teacher.
"Now five to ten families have made a group and parents who can read and write teach their children with some books. They teach their children near slash-burn rice fields (Taung Yar) and Phalar farms. Even though parents cannot provide value education, at least they can help the children read and write," he added.
Teacher Naw Ka Mwee Phaw, a mother of four children, is worried that children will lose out on future education.
"When the Burmese Army comes to our area, the soldiers kill our villagers. After our rice fields and farms were destroyed, we went into hiding in the jungle where we face a lot of problems such as health and lack of food among other daily necessities. Besides, children’s education is affected. I want them to be educated so I am teaching them to the best of my ability," he said.
Teacher Saw El War said that through children can have basic education they cannot continue further studies because of many obstacles. Even though they cannot go to school, they help their parents.
"One cannot open middle and high schools because the Burmese Army is moving around the area. The parents cannot afford to send their children to schools downtown. At the same time, they are worried about their children because they are detained for porter duty. The children try to bring in four kilos of rice and can pull out grasses in the rice fields and thus help their parents," said teacher Saw El War.
Since the Burmese Army entered this area, villagers have been hiding in the jungles and are unable to take care of their farms and rice fields leading to shortage of rice every year. Parents cannot concentrate on their children’s education because they need to focus on the survival of their families.
In the past, there were middle and high schools in KNU controlled areas in Taungoo district. The Burmese Army burnt down schools and houses and destroyed farms and fields since military operations were launched in 2006. Then the army set up camps in these areas. There are often gunfights with the Karen National Liberation Army. So schools cannot reopen in these areas.
