Many students have dropped out of schools in remote areas of Chin state, western Burma because of acute food shortage from rat infestation in the region.

A school in Sabawngpi village in Matupi Township in Chin state is closed because students are not attending class, busy as they are searching for food in the jungle.

"Last year, there were 30 students in the school but now nobody attends school. That's why we closed the school for an indefinite period," a school teacher from Joint-High School in Sabawngpi village in Matupi township said.

There were 250 students in middle school in Sabawngpi village last year but this year, the numbers of students have fallen to 150, according to a teacher.

"We cannot afford our children going to school. Instead, they spend most of the time searching for vegetables and fruits in the jungle," a villager said.

"It has been a long time since we had rice on a regular basis as our daily meal. We boil the leftover rice mixed with vegetables," he added.

Some student also dropped out of schools in Para, Mala, Talopi and Himapi villages in Paletwa Township in southern Chin state.

"There are eight students from Class V to VIII and 16 students from Class IX to X  who dropped out of school in our village," said a teacher from Para village.

"Most of the students have left schools because of food scarcity in the region and financial constraints. Now, the drop outs are working in farms and searching for vegetable and fruits in the jungle," he added.   

Moreover, the schools in areas where there is food shortage in Chin state could have classes only three days a week instead of five days because of irregular attendance of students.