A headmistress of Kan Hton Gyi village’s primary school in Mray Bon township told Narinjara over phone yesterday that the school materials were supplied by the UNICEF and were distributed free of charges among the pupils.

“Parents and students are delighted to get the books and stationery items from the UNICEF,” the headmistress said.

According to some sources in Arakan, even though the UNICEF had distributed the textbooks and stationery items to kindergarten level students in Arakan without any charges, many school authorities had earlier forced the parents  to pay money, which was collected with the school entrance fees.

A parent from the same village (Kan Hton Gyi) informed that they had not been asked this year to pay money for the UNICEF donated books and stationeries.

“Our child received a text book, a box of colour pencils, some drawing books and a school bag, but we had not paid any amount of money.  We are happy to receive those items free of cost,” the parent added.

The UNICEF has launched the programme to distribute school materials with an aim to encourage the pupils from poor families to enroll and also reduce the drop out in primary level itself, stated the headmistress.

“Last year in my school, there was 108 students in class of Kindergarten,  but  this year we have recorded 109 students coming to school on the opening day (May 28) to enroll  their names in Kindergarten level. We expect more children to come for enrollment in this level this year,” she added.

Meanwhile, the senior education ministry officials had warned the teachers not to impose any extra money for the school children, when they come for enrollment. It is learnt that most of the schools of Arakan have been claiming money for the textbooks and stationery items with the school fees.