This is a typical story about the hardship faced by many schools in Arakan State, which are overcrowded with students, yet the authorities have been ignoring their grievances.
In Arakan State’s capital of Sittwe there is a post-primary school in Sat Yo Kya Ward which provides education for over 500 students. It’s size is merely 80 feet by 30 feet.
“We have 532 students but they have to study in a small school which only has an area of 80x30 square feet,” said a teacher at the school.
The teacher claimed her school is only large enough to accommodate 100 students, so it’s overcrowded and doesn’t even have any tables or chairs for the students.
“All students have to sit on the ground during class. This shows that the condition of our school is very pathetic,” asserted the teacher.
Due to overcrowding, teachers at the school have been compelled to divide the students into two groups—the first group has classes from 7-11am and the second group has classes from 12-5pm.
In addition, nearly 100 students have been shifted to a modular building that was constructed with assistance from the Chinese government and was originally meant for refugees.
“We met the director general of Arakan State’s education department last week and submitted a memorandum highlighting the shortage of space at the school. We urged him to allow us to construct a new school building for the extra students but he hasn’t responded positively,” said U Mya Tun, a leader from Sat Yo Kya Ward.
Arakan is recognized as the poorest state in Burma after Chin State, and it has many students who must endure an education without basic facilities such as school buildings, toilets, stationery, tables, and chairs.
