Ethnic language teachers seek appointment as permanent staff members

By Admin 11 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
11 August 2023, Sittwe

Ethnic language teachers in Arakan State are demanding that they be appointed as permanent employees.

The graduated ethnic language teachers said that they have attended a 25-day primary teacher training course at Kyaukphyu Education College, but they have not yet been appointed as permanent staff.

“We have been instructed to attend a 25-day primary teacher training course at Kyaukphyu Education College to be appointed as permanent staff. After the training course, the issue of appointing us as permanent staff disappeared,” said Ma Phyu Lay, an ethnic language teacher.

Even if most of the graduated ethnic language teachers take the Pre-service Primary Teacher Training (PPTT) to be appointed as permanent staff, it is difficult because of the age limit.

“As for me, I can’t apply for PPTT because I’m too old. I think I have to work as a teacher assistant for the rest of my life with a salary of more than K100,000. I am not a permanent employee yet,” said Daw Nyo Nyo Oo, an ethnic language teacher.

Previously, ethnic language teachers were paid K4,500 per day, and since October 2021, they are provided a monthly salary of K130,000.

The ethnic language teachers are asking for them to be employed permanently as their current income is not enough for them.

“Even cleaning staff are appointed as permanent employees. We do not get money for school holidays. It is not convenient for us,” said Daw Oo Khin Htay, an ethnic language teacher.

The ethnic language teachers currently working in Arakan State have been appointed since 2019, and in order to be appointed as permanent staff, there were conditions that they must have graduated from a university and successfully completed an elementary teacher training course from an education college.

“I don’t know yet whether ethnic language teachers will be appointed as permanent staff,” said U Ba Htwee Sein, head of the Arakan State Education Office. “I think that teacher assistants who have attended the refresher course at Kyaukphyu Education College will be appointed as permanent staff. Now, there is nothing to instruct us about that matter.”

Among the more than 2,000 ethnic language teachers in Arakan State, more than 570 have graduated and attended the 25-day primary teacher training course at Kyaukphyu Education College.