Teachers in cyclone-hit townships yet to receive instruction on new curriculum

By Admin 29 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
29 June 2023, Sittwe

Basic education schools in storm-hit northern Arakan State are struggling to teach a new curriculum to students from Grade 9 to Grade 12 as they have not yet received the relevant training.

The new curriculum was introduced for basic education schools this year.

Capacity training for basic education teachers in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon, Pauktaw, Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships was planned to be held at Sittwe University and basic education high schools in the Arakan State capital from May 15 to May 24. The training had to be postponed, however, due to Cyclone Mocha.

Authorities ordered the opening of most basic education schools in Arakan State despite the fact that many school buildings were either damaged or destroyed by the storm. Teachers have had to learn online to teach their students.

“There are university-level lessons in the new curriculum. So, teachers have had to learn online to be able to teach students,” said a basic education high school teacher from Ponnagyun Township.

Teachers and parents have called on the Education Ministry to organise capacity-building training for teachers as soon as possible.

“It would be for the authorities to provide training so that teachers will have a better understanding of the curriculum,” said a high school teacher from Buthidaung Township.

Ko Yan Naing, a family member of Grade 12 students in Sittwe, said: “Providing capacity building training to teachers will facilitate their teaching.”

Capacity-building training will be provided only after all the repairs are made to the storm-ravaged schools, said U Ba Htwee Sein, head of the Arakan State Education Office.

“Though capacity-building training could not be conducted in townships in northern Arakan State, the training could be organised for teachers in southern Arakan State at Taungup University,” he told DMG.

A total of 1,358 schools were either damaged or destroyed by Cyclone Mocha in northern Arakan State, and 788 schools have been repaired so far. The remainder are undergoing repairs, have yet to be repaired or will require total reconstruction.

According to the Arakan State Education Office, 534,700 students enrolled for the 2023-24 academic year, and 531,185 students are attending.