Although Myanmar’s education system is officially promoted as “free education,” parents report that the actual cost of educating a high school student can reach several hundred thousand kyats per year.

Students in Grades 10, 11, and 12—categorised as high school levels—are increasingly relying on private tuition rather than in-school instruction. As a result, families are bearing a significant financial burden to ensure their children receive a complete education.

“For my child, who is in Grade 12, dormitory fees alone cost over 400,000 to 500,000 kyats per year. That doesn’t even include school uniforms, personal expenses, or other school-related costs. Altogether, it could come close to a million kyats,” said one parent.

Despite repeated commitments from successive governments to implement and expand free education, the reality for many students, particularly those living in school dormitories, includes attending costly external tuition classes and private tutoring sessions in order to keep up academically.

Another parent noted that the prices of both dormitory accommodations and tuition fees have continued to rise year after year.

“School costs are not getting cheaper. Compared to previous years, we’re spending more. Dorm fees are up; tuition fees are up — everything is more expensive. At the very least, parents are spending around 500,000 kyats per student each year,” said a parent from Thanbyuzayat Township.

For the 2025–2026 academic year, the cost of school supplies, uniforms, dormitory fees, and tuition classes has significantly increased compared to the previous year, according to parents and local education observers.

As educational expenses continue to climb, some families are reportedly unable to enrol their children in school due to financial hardship, raising concerns about access and equity in Myanmar’s public education system.