Government schools in Shan State East’s Tachilek, opposite Thailand’s Mae Sai, have issued documents asking students’ parents to agree to their conditions, local sources said.

The document drafted by Tachilek’s High School No.1 and No. 2 say that parents must not slander the teachers and parents must not appeal or report to authorities if teachers collect money, said a  mother whose children are attending at the No.1 school.

“Most people who could not read Burmese and did not speak Burmese language have signed,” she said. “Only those who can read and understand Burmese like us have refused to sign.”

She said no reason was mentioned in the document why the schools drew up such rules. The document was sent along with students yesterday. But some parents said it is likely the teachers are trying to prevent ugly incidents that took place in earlier years.

In February 2008, teachers from No.1 High School asked students from primary to high school level to pay money in order to obtain permission to sit for and pass their exams. With regard to the order, parents had lodged a complaint and some had sent the information to the media outlets in Thailand.

Another source whose niece is also attending the No.1 said students are also being told to attend special classes outside school hours. High school students must pay Baht 200 (from 8th Standard to 10th Standard) for each subject and students from middle class (from 5th Standard to 8th Standard) must pay Baht 100 for each subject and students have to take six subjects per year. Those who did not attend these special classes were threatened that his/her marks would be taken out from their answer papers.

“As parents, we were afraid that our children will not be able to read and write. Thus, we have to comply with the teachers’ demand even though we are poor,” said a mother of a student. “Due to high fees, some children say they want to quit school.”

According to her, each student had to pay Kyat 2,700 ($2.7) for their enrolment fee in June and Baht 1,000 ($3) for school fund despite the junta’s claim of providing free education from the primary to the middle school levels. Each student received a receipt for the enrolment fee but not for the school fund.

Moreover, students from villages were asked to pay more than students in the towns, said another source.

“Students have to pay for teachers’ salaries and provide everything that the teachers need including food, rice, firewood and oil. If the students do not comply with their orders, the teachers find excuses to beat the students or take out the points from their exams,” he said.

Both No.1 and No.2 High School have more than 2,000 students each. The population of Tachilek is more than 72,000, according to a local publication.