There are growing doubts about the Ministry of Education's plans to reopen schools in Mon State after more than 3,000 CDM teachers were suspended in Mon State for joining the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). The ministry suspended them for unauthorized absence from duty.

A CDM teacher said: “This academic year lacks a sufficient number of teachers. I don’t think the ministry can appoint a sufficient number of daily-wage teachers. Opening the school is even more impossible, as teachers will have to teach a two-year syllabus due to the shutdown of schools last year. How can the parents send their children to the schools in a secure manner? To sum up, reopening the schools is impossible. I think the State Administration Council’s plan to operate education mechanism is just for show.

More than 120,000 staff and teachers from the Basic Education Department have joined the CDM nationwide, according to the education circle which means this not only applies to Mon State but all over Myanmar.

Due to the spread of Covid-19, the schools were closed in the 2020-2021 Academic Year. Basic education schools will reopen as from June 1st for the 2021-2022 Academic Year. The schools will accept the enrollment during the school enrollment week from May 24 to 31, according to the statement by the Education Ministry under the State Administration Council.

In its statement on May 7th, the Education Ministry said it plans to appoint the daily-wage teachers with suitable salary in order to avoid the shutdown of schools due to the teacher requirements.”

The suspended teachers are: 338 from Mawlamyine Township, 617 from Yay Township, 219 from Mudon Township, 112 from Chaungson Township, 332 from Kyaikmayaw Township, 441 from Paung Township, 530 from Thaton Township, 579 from Kyaikhto Township and 12 from Basic Education High Schools and the Basic Education Middle Schools from different townships.