Many children starting the new academic year at government schools in Putao District in northern Kachin State have no textbooks because they have not arrived at the school and cannot be purchased.

In previous years, students at government schools received textbooks when they enrolled for the new academic year. But this year they are facing difficulties because even though the new academic year has started the government schools have issued no textbooks because they have not been able to get them delivered to Putao District. 

Sending the textbooks by airfreight is too expensive and the condition of the road from the Kachin State capital Myitkyina is very bad. So, even if parents wanted to buy their children the textbooks they cannot because there are none available in the District.

A resident of Putao District said to MNJ: “This year, no new textbooks have arrived in Putao. They’re not being delivered by air because it’s too expensive. So, the children can’t buy them and have to go to school without any textbooks. The roads are also so damaged that no one wants to take on the trouble of transporting textbooks.”

Some of last year’s textbooks, left over from that year’s quota, were sold for about 50,000 MMK a set, but there were only very limited quantities, so most students are still without textbooks.

The aforementioned Putao District resident said: “Right now, no one is selling leftover textbooks anymore. There haven’t been many of those books.”

In previous years students from elementary to high school level who were studying at government schools would also receive stationery such as notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers, and erasers along with their textbooks when they enrolled. But, this year in Putao District none of these have been supplied.

Some parents have tried ordering textbooks, notebooks, pens and other educational equipment from Myitkyina CIty, but getting it all delivered to Putao DIstrict is proving hard because of the poor road conditions.

Not only are towns and villages in Putao District suffering from a shortage of textbooks and stationery. They are also suffering from a severe shortage of all medicines, even basic medication,  because the junta has banned the transport of all medicines into Putao District.

Even before the coup, Transporting goods around Putao District, which is in northern Myanmar, was hard due to its remoteness and the conditions of the roads. Each year in the wet season roads in the remote areas of Putao District get heavily damaged by flash floods.