Kaladan Press Network
Dated: Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Article
Deprivation of Education in Arakan,
Burma
(By Fayas Ahmed)
Arakan, Burma
is extremely deprived of high level of illiteracy among the children as well as
adults, said Hamid, who is studying in Malaysia
University.
Most of the village tracts have
at least one primary school (class 1 to 4). But remote areas’ admission is
weakened by distance and lack of communication during the rainy season. But,
widespread poverty keeps many children have to leave school as they are
compelled to support to their families. Most of the students have to give up
their schools during the winter and summer seasons to provide helps to their
parents in their croplands. Most of the parents send their children for
religious education in Madrasa
and Maqtab
to learn Quarn
in Arabic. Furthermore, teaching in primary schools is only conveyed in Burmese
language, which most of the children cannot speak and understand, said an
intellectual.
There are some middle schools
(class 5 to 8) and High Schools (Class 9 to 10), in Buthidaung
and Maungdaw
Townships.
Besides, there are also some self-supported schools where students’ families
and villagers have to pay the teachers in cash and in paddy. Some NGOs have
also appointed some teachers to schools by providing them rice or paddy per
month. A small number of Rohingya children reach class ten and complete basic
education, he further added.
There is only one university in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan
State,
which was established in 1973. Since a travel ban to Sittwe
has been enforced on the Rohingya people in February
2001, Rohingya students have been facing more
difficulties and problems to join the University. All the students including Rohingya across the 17 townships of Arakan
State
have to study in Sittwe
University
except those who got admission at Rangoon
University
and other institutions. But, Rohingya students were
totally banned to go to Rangoon
for higher education or other professional subjects. However, to avoid the
difficulties, most of the Rohingya students can only
study university level courses through distance education, said a university
student.
Moreover, Rohingya
students have been facing serious difficulties in obtaining permission to sit
in their examination, which was held on 6th
December 2004. About 205 Rohingya
students (regular basis and distance education) from Maungdaw
and Buthidaung
Townships
didn’t get travel passes timely from SPDC authorities to go to Sittwe to sit their annual examination, he more said.
Education levels are also
worsened by the lack of teachers in rural areas and the poor quality of
teaching. Besides, Rohingya teachers cannot be
employed as civil servants and are not allowed to teach in government schools.
However, in some rural areas, Rohingya teachers have
been appointed temporally by NGOs or by the villagers themselves by supporting
them with rice or paddy.
In northern Arakan,
about 85% of the schoolteachers are Buddhists (Rakhine
and Burman) and the remaining 15% are Arakanese Rohingyas who were appointed by the government before 1988.
Government appointed teachers are always Buddhists and “paddy teachers”
generally Arakanese Rohingys. There should be enough trained teachers, but Rakhing Buddhists are generally unwilling to teach Rohingya students and often neglect their profession. In
addition, teachers receive a negligible salary and it compels them to increase their income
through other means. Most of the Rakhing female
teachers don’t wish to go to rural areas and concerned authorities don’t take
any action against them, said a retired school headmaster on condition of
anonymity.
"A good education system is necessary for the
long-term development of a country and we all are responsible to work for the improvement
of the education system." (Source: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, speech
given on National Day, November 2002).
Education in Burma
has been severely impacted by more than four decades of military rule. The
military regime views potentially politically active university and high school
students as one of the biggest threats to their grip on power, so all-non
military education is treated as expendable. All civilian schools and
universities throughout Burma
suffer from a lack of resources and qualified educators, a problem found in
many developing countries, however, unique to Burma
is the fact that the ruling government actively tries to thwart universal and
advanced higher education. (Source: HRD 2002-2003 of NCGUB).
The 1982 law on Citizenship makes
the Rohingyas foreigners in their own country. The
consequences of this non-citizenship law caused lack of freedom of association,
impossibility to appeal to justice, or to apply for the public service, limited
access to higher education.
The 1983 census shows male to female literacy
rates of 86%: 77% in the predominantly Burman divisions, compared to 65%: 50%
in the predominantly ethnic states. (Sources: Images Asia
Jan 2002).
Due to the
deteriorating levels of education available at government schools, students and
parents are increasingly turning to other educational options when these are
available. In Arakan
State,
a large number of students are reportedly leaving government schools to enroll
in schools run by Buddhist monasteries. Many people in this area believe that
monastic education is better quality and less expensive than education at
state-run schools. There were approximately 500 students enrolled in just one
monastery in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan
State.
(Source: Narinjara)
Only a small percentage of people in Arakan are able to continue their higher education that
passed high school. The majority of
students are unable to pursue higher education for economic reasons. In order
to support their families, many students have to quit schools to take jobs that
don’t require a high education level, sometimes migrating to other countries
where there are more employment opportunities. Other students cannot attend
universities because they have fled their homes or been imprisoned for
political activities.
The standard of education becomes high because of
the developments in all sectors of the nation. The western media unjustly
criticized Myanmar's
education, saying that its level was too low; and that it was far away from
meeting the standard. It is one of the many slanders against Myanmar
hurled by the persons who do not wish to see her enjoying progress in all
quarters. During the ancient times, Myanmars
learnt education, religion and morals at monasteries. The colonialists after
annexing Myanmar
destroyed the nation’s education system and substituted it with its education
system to breed colonialist servants. The SlORC/SPDC
enacted laws to remove all the remaining colonial influences and thoughts in
the education system. Short-term and long-term plans have been implemented for
education promotion. Education conferences have been held to seek better means.
The Government is building. Myanmar
is cooperating with the world nations including the ASEAN to develop her
education. Education systems have been firmly established in the nation.
Because of racial and status discrimination, it is still difficult for all the
people to pursue education in some big countries. But, Myanmar
has no discrimination in any part and sector at all. Today, Myanmar
has totally discarded the colonial education, and successfully established a
firm and advanced national education system. It is a correct system free from
errors. (Sources-The New Light of Myanmar,
July 5, 2004.)
Burma’s
education system has been heavily impacted by the regime’s grip of power. The
regime has a fear of student movements, given the history of student movement
in the past people’s uprisings. As a result, the regime often shuts down the
schools and limits the freedom of education. ##
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