More than 100 students, who are staying at Yan Aung Myay and Ywar Ma monasteries in Buthidaung town, are facing difficulties continuing their education because of the conflicts in the area, the head monk of Yan Aung Myay monastery said.

The monk said that children just went to schools near their villages before, but since the conflict has been broken out in Buthidaung area, the parents sent their children to stay at the monastery for safety. That’s why the monastery is requiring food, clothing and educational equipment.

“We have children who have been displaced from their villages because of the fighting. And we also have families who can’t maintain a decent quality of life even though they aren’t refugees. So they (families) send their children to the monastery,” the monk said.

He added that Yan Aung Myay monastery has more than 60 students, and Ywar Ma monastery receives more than 40 students. Both monasteries have volunteer teachers and also run the free classes for high school students who are non-residents of monasteries.

The head monk of Ywar Ma monastery said that his monastery is looking for assistance to provide food and long term education for refugee students.

“We need cooking oil, salt, meat, fish and vegetables. As we have to cook for more than 40 children every day, my own money is decreasing. We have to spend 150,000 Kyats per day to feed children meat. We use only dried fish and vegetables; it costs 40,000 Kyats per day because vegetables also are very expensive here. That is why we like to request either the government or private organizations to provide assistance to us,” he said.

Children in both monasteries are studying from primary to high level and are from the villages such as Oo Yin Thar, San Go Htaung, Say Taung, Thayat Pyin, Zi Ywar.