Classrooms remain empty in parts of Arakan State despite ceasefire

By DMG 06 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
6 December 2022, Sittwe

Some schools remain closed in parts of Arakan State despite an informal ceasefire recently reached between Myanmar’s military regime and the Arakan Army (AA), according to teachers and local residents.

Many schools were closed due to fighting between the two sides over the past few months, but more than one week after the November 26 ceasefire, some schools cannot yet reopen in Minbya, Kyauktaw and Rathedaung townships.

Junta travel restrictions remain in place in parts of Arakan State, and schoolteachers and students have not yet returned to some villages affected by the conflict.

In Minbya, the Myanmar military has denied access to the Kyetsin Bridge since October 17, and some 20 schools in the area remain closed, said residents.

“Teachers come from the town, but Myanmar military troops were deployed on Kyetsin Bridge when the fighting broke out. So, teachers did not dare to come. Travel restrictions have been lifted in other areas, but not yet in our area,” said a resident of Phalaungpyin Village who asked for anonymity.

Teachers are trying to reopen schools in villages where they remain shuttered, said a schoolteacher assigned in Phalaungpyin.

“Our headmistress said teachers can’t cross the bridge. So, we teachers are trying to cross the creek with a motorboat. We may not be able to reopen schools this week. But we are trying to reopen them next week,” said the teacher.

Schools remain closed in Nagara and Yokethar villages because villagers have not yet returned to their villagers, said Nagara Village administrator U Maung Win.

Residents fled the two villages after mortar shells landed on their villages in the last week of September.

“Only some farmers have returned to harvest paddy. And students have not yet returned,” U Maung Win said. “Teachers came yesterday to take a look at the village’s situation. They went back after they found that villagers had not yet arrived. Villagers dare not return for fear of fresh fighting and artillery strikes.”

Schools in some 10 villages were also closed in Rathedaung Township in August due to clashes and artillery strikes in their vicinity.

Schools have reopened in other villages, but not yet in Pyeintaw Village as teachers have not come back, said teacher U Aung Hsan Oo.

“Villagers have returned, and I have told teachers to come back. The school principal still can’t come because of health problems. So, we plan to open the school only when he comes back. The school has been closed for nearly three months,” he added.

When asked by DMG about when the remaining shuttered schools could be reopened in Arakan State, the head of the state education department U Ba Htwee Sein said: “We have instructed township education officers to stay in villages where they are assigned to, instead of returning to the town after school hours. We have told them to arrange, with township administrative bodies, accommodation for teachers in their assigned villages.”

Some 50 schools were forced to close across Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships following the renewed fighting that began in August. The two sides reached their truce on November 26, and the regime has since lifted travel restrictions in parts of Arakan State and Chin State’s Paletwa Township.