Residents of Dabatyang Village, who came back from the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State, are concerned that their children might not be able to go to school this year because there is no school in the village.
A parent of a student in Dabatyang village mentioned that prior to the resurgent battle between the military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in 2011, there used to be a primary school in the village. However, the school building was damaged during the fighting, which has posed challenges in reopening the school.
"The hardest part right now is making sure children can go to school. It's even harder than finding work, food, and a place to live. They said they will open a school in this village for children up to Grade 4."
In the last week of May, elementary schools nationwide started accepting enrollments for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.
A village elder from Dabatyang village mentioned that officials are working on repairing the damaged school building and making arrangements for the children to attend school.
"In Dabatyang village, there was a primary school that was used for classes until the resurgent battle in 2011. However, due to safety concerns recognized by the government's Department of Education, the school building is now considered dangerous. Nevertheless, efforts are underway to renovate the building, and there are plans to use it as a temporary school."
A parent from Dabatyang village expressed that despite discussions about rebuilding the school building, no visible progress has been made in its implementation.
"The school building has not been fixed or repaired yet. The government said that the school will be opened."
If the school cannot be rebuilt in time, it may result in the inability to open the school. As a consequence, the children who were supposed to start attending school this academic year might have to discontinue their education for the time being.
Hence, the parents of the students have requested the relevant officials to prioritize the reconstruction of the damaged school building before the commencement of the academic year.
The mother of a Grade 8 student emphasized that without the reconstruction of the school building, attending elementary school would be impossible for the students. Furthermore, she highlighted the challenges that arise in providing education for students transitioning to middle and high school.
"I'm currently unsure about which school to send my daughter, who will be entering 8th grade. It's a challenging decision, and I'm still unsure about it. Financial constraints also make it difficult for me to determine if I can afford to send my daughter to school. I've spoken to other mothers, and they are facing the same dilemma. They also expressed their uncertainty about where to send their children. It's making parents upset and worried."
As a result, the residents have formally submitted a request to the Waingmaw Township Education Office, urging them to establish a school that caters to students up to the middle school level in Dabatyang Village.
However, the Education Office responded by stating that Dabatyang Village was originally designated as an elementary school, and therefore, they would only consider reopening the elementary school at this time.
Dabatyang village is home to 264 households and has a total population of nearly 1,500 people. Among them, there are 282 students who need education in the village.
Due to the resurgent battles between the military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in 2011, the people of Dabatyang village had to leave their village on the Waingmaw-Bhamo road and seek safety in Waingmaw Township.
After living in Waingmaw Township for over ten years, the residents of Dabatyang village finally returned to their homes at the end of February.
