A source close to the private school community said that more than a year after the military coup, about 90 percent of private schools are reopening and there is a high number of students enrolled for the coming academic year.
Most of the private schools have already accepted students and taught the lessons prior to the government school opening. However, private schools have the same registration period as government schools.
“There is an increasing number of students this year. If we say in percentage terms, only 20 percent of students attended the classes last year. However, this year, about 80 percent of students attended the classes. Hundreds of new students are registering in every private school,” says Teacher Soe Aung, joint secretary of Myanmar Private School Association (MPSA).
According to the data of the Ministry of Education before the coup, there are over 1,000 private schools in Myanmar.
There is some speculation that there was an increase in the number of students registering in May.
The state-owned primary schools and high schools are accepting student registration starting from 26 May.
“The school was closed for a year due to COVID-19. Last year as well, due to the political situation, we did not dare to send our children to school. Due to the wasted two years, we don’t want to delay our children's education anymore. So, we are thinking of sending them to school this year. Today, we see many students wearing uniforms, white and green, for registration,” said a teacher, as well as a parent, who is considering enrolling his own children in a state-run school.
According to a junta statement, there were a total of 3.3 million students attending both public and private schools in the previous academic year.
Last year, to protest against the coup, about 70 percent of the students refused to attend the schools. This year, teachers participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and some activists have urged students not to attend school.
“Either private school or public school, it is still ‘slave education’. We also condemn those who attend private schools,” the Great Success Students Union said in a statement.
In the previous year, junta soldiers and police were posted as security guards at state-run schools.
The reasons why some parents choose private schools include education quality and security.
There have been bombing and shooting incidents in and outside schools and related educational buildings.
For the coming academic year, teacher Soe Aung said there would not be armed security at private schools and they won’t be asking for it.
“They won’t provide security services to private schools because we did not ask for the security service. Even if they provide it, we won’t acceptit. We will just follow our own administration guidance,' he said.
Within the two years of not going to school, the parents are worried about their children’s education and finding out many other ways on social media.
