In Rakhine State, the Arakan Army’s (AA) education programs are causing many difficulties for Rohingya students in villages, according to local residents who spoke with wsnews24.com.
In some Rohingya villages in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, where student numbers are relatively small, the AA has prohibited the opening of schools. Even in villages where schools are allowed, locals said the AA typically assigns only three or four Rohingya teachers, while appointing a Rakhine teacher as the headmaster.
The AA’s local education department directly collects application fees from students—5,000 kyats for primary school, 10,000 kyats for middle school, and 20,000 kyats for high school. However, teachers reportedly receive no tangible benefits and are not even paid regular salaries, locals said.
In addition, locals said the AA only permits charity groups to provide assistance in Rakhine villages, while barring them from helping Rohingya communities. As a result, Rohingya students lack sufficient school supplies and are forced to buy textbooks at prices as high as 40,000 kyats per book, which is extremely burdensome for economically struggling families.
According to locals, Rohingya communities inside Rakhine State are urgently appealing to the international Rohingya diaspora and international organizations to put pressure on the AA through international law and to provide them with support for the future and advancement of Rohingya education.
