Narinjara News, 15 June2022

Forty-seven Kaman students from three villages (including Thayar Gone village under Sittwe township) weredenied access to the high schools eventhough the classes began from 2 June, alleged the parents.

A high school student from  Thayar Gone village is still denied his entry to classes even in nearer schoolstoo, stated the affected parents.

"This is discrimination against Kaman students. We were worried about our children who have not been allowedto attend classes in high schools.Now they are even denied enrollment in those educational institutions. We definitely want our children to be back inrespective schools,” said a lady.

As the schools are closed in villages, the  Kaman students approached No (6) high school and No(9) middle school in the militarycompound. However, the high schoolstudents were denied their admissions.

Maung Ni Thar, a Kaman senior from Thayar Gone village, expressed unhappiness as their community studentswere not entertained. The studentsshould get equal rights for education. As other ethnic children are studying while Kaman students are deprived of the facilty, its nothing but a seriuosdiscrimination to us,” he added.

The villagers reveal that the NLD government in 2018 constructed two middle and high school buildings in the school campus for thebenefit of  Kaman students after Rakhine state Minister alongwith the State Governor visited thevillage campus.

But thisyear the school was closed down by the township education officer stating it as illegal, pointedout Daw Nyo Nyo Aye, a teacher in the school.

Notably, the Kaman people practice Islam and they are one ofthe seven Rakhine nationalities.

Hnin Wet Yee, an eleven-grade student, informed that the school was organizing tutorial classes for about aweek. He was expelled by the teachersand hence the education department has not allowed him to attend classes.

After the Rakhine-based Narinjara News reported in Burmese language that Kaman students were simply losingtheir rights to pursue education,the Rakhine State education officer U Ba Htwe Sein with other officials visited the locality on 13 June.

When contacted, Sein disclosed that they are now planning to solve the issue. The education department wouldmake a fruitful plan soon. BesidesThayar Gone village, many deprived Kaman high school students are hailing from Thekkelbyin andThinganat localities under Sittwe
township.

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