Education crisis deepens for IDP children in Arakan State

By Admin 09 Feb 2026

DMG Newsroom

9 February 2026, Kyauktaw

The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) fleeing ongoing military conflict in Arakan State continues to rise, while shortages of food, healthcare and education pose growing threats to their livelihoods.

Among the most serious concerns is access to education for children in IDP camps. Although the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) has opened schools and begun implementing a systematic education administration this year, many displaced children remain out of school due to severe financial and social hardships.

“Even with the work I do now, I earn only K5,000 a day. That is not enough for basic food costs. Education is out of the question when we cannot even manage daily meals,” said Ma Mel Kyi, an IDP woman from Kyauktaw Township.

Humanitarian assistance to IDP camps has declined sharply, leaving residents struggling to meet basic survival needs.

Although daily wages can reach up to K20,000, income levels remain insufficient amid soaring commodity prices, making it extremely difficult for parents to support their children’s education.

The rising cost of school supplies, including notebooks and pens, has become another major barrier. Many children want to attend school but refrain from asking their parents, aware of the financial strain their families face.

“The children want to go to school, but they cannot. Seeing our situation, they do not dare to ask,” said Daw Hsan Nu, another IDP mother in Kyauktaw. “A set of textbooks costs K120,000. Even if they have the desire, they cannot afford the stationery.”

As a result, many IDP children are unable to access even basic education, placing their futures at risk. Older children in IDP camps are often forced to abandon their studies to care for younger siblings or support their families.

Instead of attending classes, they engage in physically demanding work such as foraging in the mountains and collecting firewood.

U Naing Lin Tun, chairman of the Zinchaung Youth Philanthropic Association in Kyaukphyu, said parents in IDP camps are struggling to survive on a daily basis.

“They cannot afford stationery or other school essentials,” he said. “Even if they want to support their children’s education, many are unable to do so because their priority is simply surviving from day to day.”

According to United Nations figures, approximately five million children across Myanmar are being deprived of their right to education, with IDP children in Arakan State among the most affected. As final examinations approach, many displaced children have yet to hold a book or a pencil.

There is an urgent need for the United League of Arakan, as well as domestic and international humanitarian organizations, to strengthen support for education initiatives targeting IDP children in Arakan State.