Forty-seven Kaman students from three villages (including Thayar Gone village under Sittwe township) were denied access to the high schools even though the classes began from 2 June, alleged the parents.
A high school student from Thayar Gone village is still denied his entry to classes even in nearer schools too, stated the affected parents.
"This is discrimination against Kaman students. We were worried about our children who have not been allowed to attend classes in high schools. Now they are even denied enrollment in those educational institutions. We definitely want our children to be back in respective schools,” said a lady.
As the schools are closed in villages, the Kaman students approached No (6) high school and No(9) middle school in the military compound. However, the high school students were denied their admissions.
Maung Ni Thar, a Kaman senior from Thayar Gone village, expressed unhappiness as their community students were not entertained. The students should get equal rights for education. As other ethnic children are studying while Kaman students are deprived of the facilty, its nothing but a seriuos discrimination to us,” he added.
The villagers reveal that the NLD government in 2018 constructed two middle and high school buildings in the school campus for the benefit of Kaman students after Rakhine state Minister along with the State Governor visited the village campus.
But this year the school was closed down by the township education officer stating it as illegal, pointed out Daw Nyo Nyo Aye, a teacher in the school.
Notably, the Kaman people practice Islam and they are one of the seven Rakhine nationalities.
Hnin Wet Yee, an eleven-grade student, informed that the school was organizing tutorial classes for about a week. He was expelled by the teachers and hence the education department has not allowed him to attend classes.
After the Rakhine-based Narinjara News reported in Burmese language that Kaman students were simply losing their rights to pursue education, the Rakhine State education officer U Ba Htwe Sein with other officials visited the locality on 13 June.
When contacted, Sein disclosed that they are now planning to solve the issue. The education department would make a fruitful plan soon. Besides Thayar Gone village, many deprived Kaman high school students are hailing from Thekkelbyin and Thinganat localities under Sittwe
township.
