Past conflict continues to deny education to IDP children

08 Jan 2023

DMG Newsroom
8 January 2023, Sittwe

Numerous school-aged children are among those who fled their homes due to renewed fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State over recent months, with many of  those children still deprived of their right to education.

The displaced children and their families are asking that their access to schooling be improved.

“The children, who are the rising stars of the future, have lost their futures and their goals have been delayed. These children’s right to education is violated. These children can be presidents or ministers in the future. But when children lose their right to education, their life goals are destroyed,” said U Win Naing, manager of Myo Oo Khaung camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mrauk-U Township.

He added that about 50 school-age children sheltering at the Myo Oo Khaung IDP camp are losing their right to education due to livelihood and financial difficulties.

Some parents who live in IDP camps have to sell their gold to continue their children’s education, said Daw Cho Oo May, the mother of an IDP student.

“I have sold my gold jewelry to continue my children’s education. Some children drop out of school to help their parents,” she added.

Daw Oo Mya Yi, the mother of a student at the Myo Lae Chaung displacement camp in Rathedaung Township, said: “Some children from the IDP camp did not have full access to education. I want the government to improve the education of students. There are children who drop out of school because they can’t keep up.”

Under the Child Rights Law, children have the right to survive, develop, receive preventive care, and participate in social organisations, but children in areas of armed conflict are often deprived of those rights, according to humanitarian aid workers.

“Some IDP camps have a need for teachers, and students are unable to pursue education and have to drop out of school to help their parents,” said Daw Saw San Nyein Thu, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Initiative Organization (RWIO).

Because the regime imposed travel restrictions on local and international NGOs on July 18, preventing these organisations from travelling to several Arakan State townships, the IDPs who had depended on them are facing many difficulties.

There are children from Arakan State areas of conflict who are suffering psychologically and physically from the sounds of mortar strikes, bombs, and gunfire, and there are also several who have died.

“I don’t know how much the children feel. As soon as they heard the sound of the fighting, the children got scared and went into the house and hid. The children’s minds are filled with fear,” said a resident of Hngetgyikyun Village in Ponnagyun Township.

DMG phoned U Ba Htwee Sein, the Arakan State education officer, to find out how arrangements are being made for IDP students struggling to access an education. 

He replied: “The Arakan State education officer’s office has not yet been informed about educational difficulties faced by IDP children. If we know that IDP children are facing such difficulties, we must help them to make it better. The parents of the IDP children must report this difficulty to the relevant authorities.”