A village administration officer in southern Maungdaw south started collecting money from parents to pay the salaries of Rohingya schoolteachers, said local Hassan (not his real name). But villagers are upset because the government will pay the salary for Rakhine teachers and not for the others.
Abdu Rahim, administration officer for Gora Khali, called a meeting with elders on Nov. 2 to discuss the money collections. It was decided it’s necessary if the students want to get a decent education, Hassan said.
“We have no money, and no jobs to support the teachers,” said Jalal (not his real name), who is from the area. If the government already supports the teachers why should the villagers be asked to pay again, he wondered.
“The government doesn’t support the Rohingya schoolteachers who are appointed by local villagers. The government only supports the Rakhine teachers,” Abdu Rahim said.
Before the sectarian violence in June of 2012, the Gora Khali school had 14 teachers, 6 for primary and 8 that are taught at the middle school levels. All of them were Rakhine. Now the only one left is the headmaster, Win Hlaing.
The village administration officer is collecting fees depending on the size of the families. These range from 3000 to 5000 and 7000 to 10,000 (Burmese kyat) for each month.
One man who spoke with Kaladan Press Network on condition of anonymity wondered how he could afford to send his children to school.
“I am a daily worker, how I will pay 3000 Kyat per month?”
Various sources reported that villagers from Khonza Bill, Udaung village and several others in Maungdaw township also have to support the Rohingya teachers’ salaries.
