Buthidaung locals call for opening of technical institute

By DMG 19 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
19 July 2022, Buthidaung

Local residents in Arakan State’s Buthidaung Township have called for the soonest possible opening of a technical institute being built near Kutoe Seik village, with construction on the education facility having begun some four years ago.

Buthidaung resident Ko Aung Min Thu said residents believe the technical institute will provide educational opportunities for young people, and contribute to development in the township.

“When the institute opens, it will make the town lively to a certain extent, and also create jobs for local people. Most importantly, it will present educational opportunities for young people. So, I want to urge [authorities] to open it as soon as possible,” he told DMG.

Construction of the institute began in 2018 under the now-ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government. The project is said to have been nearly complete by 2020, but the military’s seizure of power from the civilian administration in a February 2021 coup appears to have disrupted progress.

“Construction was basically complete in 2020. But it was suspended,” said former lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe of Buthidaung Township. “The government is responsible for implementing it, and it [the fact that authorities have suspended construction] is discrimination against the people of this region.”

U Aung Thaung Shwe added that Myanmar’s military regime has been intentional in imposing various restrictions on people in Arakan State, including strict controls on the flow of commodities into the state.

“Not only education, [the regime] is imposing restrictions on trade and other opportunities in Arakan State. They are doing these things deliberately. They would not lift those restrictions even if we made demands,” said U Aung Thaung Shwe.

“Construction of the main building of the institute is complete,” Buthidaung Township administrator U Kyan Aye Ko told DMG when asked about the status of the project. “However, the quarters for instructors and student hostels have not yet been finished. I heard the budget [for construction of those buildings] has just been granted this year. However, I still can’t confirm that.”

Arakan State has technical institutes in Kyaukphyu and Thandwe, and a technical institute is also being built in Taungup.