Difficulty for acquiring student lists from IDP camps

By Thet Naing 22 May 2019

Thet Naing/ DMG

May 20, Sittwe

Poor transportation makes it difficult to collect lists of students from all IDP camps, according to the Office of the Head of Education Department in Arakan State.

The number of IDP camps in Arakan State has reached more than 100 and the Department is ready to help students from 61 camps but authorities could not reach the remaining camps to collect students’ list due to poor transportation, said the deputy director of the Arakan State Education Department.

“We could contact to about 60 camps although there are 105 camps. There are students in the remaining camps. As you all know, we could not go to these areas because of the situation in the region. And we could not reach people by phone also,” said U Sein Tun Hla, deputy director of Education Department.

He, however, instructed relevant township education officers to send the remaining lists of students from the remaining IDP camps by May 25.

Currently, the department has arranged for 4,000 students from 61 camps to pursue their education in nearby schools and other vacant buildings, the deputy director said.

He will submit documents to the state government regarding 40 camps that remain to be contacted because of communications difficulties, he added.

He will also present pertinent document to the state government regarding the security of education staff who need to work in the conflict zones.

At the moment, he does not know which schools will be open or closed this academic year due to regional instability following the ongoing clashes in Arakan State.

“As of now some villages have no people in them, especially in Rathedaung Township. If a region is not safe for teachers, we will not send them to these areas. I will submit the situation to the state government,” he said.