Arakan State monastic schools damaged by storm yet to be repaired

By Admin 07 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
7 June 2023, Sittwe

Approximately 30 monastic schools across several Arakan State townships that were badly damaged by Cyclone Mocha still cannot be repaired due to financial constraints.

The affected schools — which include seven in Sittwe, five in Ponnagyun, six in Kyauktaw and five in Mrauk-U — were damaged by the storm, according to the supervisory committee of monastic schools in Arakan State.

Students have been forced to crowd into a few rooms that were not damaged in the storm, said Sayadaw Bhaddanta Ariyavumsa of the Shwe Zedi monastic school in Sittwe.

“We can’t yet repair the school buildings. I have three-storey buildings at my monastery. Only the rooms on the ground floors can be used now as classrooms. Monastic schools provide free education for children from needy families who can’t afford formal schooling. Those children will have no chance to learn if monastic schools cease to exist,” said the Sayadaw.

Around 400 students from kindergarten to high school are learning at the Shwe Zedi monastic school. Four school buildings and hostels were damaged in the storm.

Six school buildings and hostels were also damaged at the Wailuwun monastic school in Sittwe. Those buildings still can’t be repaired due to financial constraints. The school provides free education to around 1,000 students, but it is only teaching kindergarten to middle school students currently as there are not enough classrooms.

“We still can’t teach high school students as we can’t arrange classrooms for them. Most of the high school students are from outside Sittwe. We have told them not to come yet as we still don’t have classrooms and hostels for them,” said Wailuwun Sayadaw.

Monks expect more difficulties in providing free education due to soaring food prices and other significant increases in the cost of living in Arakan State.

Two monastic schools, one each in Thayettaw and Ywama villages on Ngapyi Island in Pauktaw Township, still can’t be repaired and donors are needed, said administrator U Maung Kyaw Hlaing of Ngapyi Island.

“Roofs were damaged by the storm. We are trying to repair them, but we can’t afford it by ourselves,” he said.

There are 78 monastic schools in Arakan State. As the number of students has increased year by year, monastic schools have said they need more funding to pay the salaries of teachers and other costs.