In Hpruso Township, Karenni State, three self-reliant high schools have been established this year, creating a need for qualified teachers to teach high school subjects, according to an official from the Hpruso Township Education Board.

“When it comes to higher education, we face new challenges, especially with the new system in place. CDM (Civil Disobedience Movement) teachers are scarce in Hpruso, so the demand for teachers is our primary challenge,” the official stated.

Sources indicate that nearly 100 high school students have transferred from other regions and townships. Despite having school buildings, there is still a shortage of teachers to teach various subjects, as well as a lack of textbooks.

The need for high school teachers has been reported to the Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC), but there has been no response yet. There is also a need to enhance the skills of the existing teachers, the official added.

Maw Mi Mar, the head of the IEC Education Department, responded to Kantarawaddy Times, stating that efforts are being made to quickly find and appoint the required number of teachers for community-based schools within Karenni State.

“In remote areas or some refugee regions, there is still a shortage of teachers. We aim to find and appoint teachers as soon as possible. Currently, most teachers are volunteers from the community, along with some CDM teachers. However, since most of them are volunteers, it is necessary to provide training to ensure they can effectively teach. We need more training in subject-specific and teaching methodologies,” said Maw Mi Mar.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, community-based schools in Karenni State need school buildings, shelters, teaching aids, textbooks, and writing materials. The IEC is working to secure assistance for these needs.

Last year, there were 11 self-reliant community-based high schools in Hpruso Township. With three additional schools this year, there are now 14 schools, with over 900 students enrolled.