Border News Agency
Kyaukphyu, August 26
Children in Arakha are dropping out of school because their parents cannot afford education costs due to rising prices and difficulties in meeting basic living needs, according to parents of students.
Parents say school fees have increased significantly, while they can no longer afford school supplies such as books, pencils, and other learning materials.
“School fees used to be 5,000 kyats, but now they have increased to 15,000 kyats. Children from poor families have to leave school at a young age. That is the situation now. I have one child in Grade 5, and I have to pay 15,000 kyats. Things are very difficult for us. We cannot go anywhere to earn money. Where can we get the money? I can no longer afford to keep my child in school,” a female student’s parent from Kyaukphyu Township, Ma Phyu May, told Border News Agency.
The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government has set school fees at 30,000 kyats for high school, 20,000 kyats for middle school, and 10,000 kyats for primary school.
The Arakha National Education community says that additional contributions for school supplies, furniture, and other needs are voluntary contributions from villages to help schools operate. They are not official fees set by the Arakan government.
Parents say that while employment opportunities are limited because of the armed conflict, education costs and school fees have continued to increase. As a result, children from primary to high school levels are dropping out.
“It is not only the school fees. The prices of everything, including books and pencils, have increased greatly. We are already struggling to provide food and other basic needs for our families. Only families with enough money can keep their children in school. Children from low-income families have to drop out,” a female student’s parent from Mrauk-U Township told Border News Agency.
The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government announced last June that it would provide education support programs. Local people are hoping that this assistance will reach communities on a wider scale.
“We had hope when we heard that the government would provide support. Now, living costs are very difficult, and some families cannot afford to send their children to school. In some cases, children have had to drop out. We want the assistance to reach us as soon as possible,” a female student’s parent from Ponnagyun Township told Border News Agency.
Although the new Arakha National Education System is being implemented, rising prices and low family incomes continue to make it difficult for poor families to support their children’s education.
Therefore, local people are calling on the Arakha People’s Revolutionary Government to put education assistance programs into practice and provide the necessary learning materials so that children do not have to drop out of school because their families cannot afford the costs.
