Teachers and parents gathered across Kayah State to protest a refresher course the junta’s State Administration Council (SAC) is offering to school principals.

“We don’t accept training sponsored by the military council. This is a public school and we’re against it,” said a parent who joined the March 17 protest in front of Dawtamange High school in Demawso town.

The Demawso Township Administration Council announced that a ‘capacity building and refresher course training’ will be given to principals of high and middle schools from March 17-19. Principals of primary schools can join from March 22–24.

Kayah State Teachers Union released a statement urging school heads to boycott the training offered by SAC, while warning those who don’t will be shamed on social media by teachers who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).

Started by health workers across the country two days after the February 1 coup, many teachers, other government servants and workers from the private sector, including bank staff, joined the CDM. The movement has also been joined by over a hundred police officers in the state.

“We don’t want a military dictator running our country,” the parent said. “School teachers shouldn’t go to work because we want to see the downfall of the military dictatorship.”

Of the 131 schools in Demawso Township, 116 schools have joined the CDM.