A village school in the eastern part of Dee Maw Hso Township, Karenni State, had to conduct its final exams for the academic year in a forested area due to security concerns, according to the school’s administrators.

Although the village has a school building, fears of artillery shelling and airstrikes by the military junta forced the school to arrange the exams in a remote location under challenging conditions, a school administrator reported.

“There were many difficulties. We had to gather the children and transport them back and forth every day. Another challenge was the classroom arrangement—we had to conduct the exams inside a small hut, making do with whatever was available. Since there were no proper desks and chairs, the students had to sit and write in uncomfortable conditions, which was exhausting for them. Additionally, the children were mentally affected as they were constantly listening to war-related news, making it hard for them to focus,” the administrator explained.

Teachers and parents worked together to prioritize security during the exam period. The final exams were conducted earlier than the originally scheduled dates due to the war conflict.

The school serves students from Grade 1 to Grade 11, with around 250 students and 20 teachers. The final exams were held from March 1 to March 4.