Khit / Myo Gyi (NSS) – Dec 15

There are many schools that cannot be opened due to the ongoing conflicts; therefore, it has been increasing voices to designate the schools as safe zone. 

After 2021 political transition in Myanmar, many schools were torched, destroyed and sabotaged by the terrorists; teachers and educational staff were abducted and murdered by the terrorists too giving the reason of ‘Not to study under military education’. 

At present, many schools, especially from conflict intense areas, have to be closed due to the clashes between Tatmadaw and terrorist groups. 

Therefore, there have been requests by the personnels from the educational sector and Sanghas to designate the schools as the safe zone to protect the right to education for the children and educational sector. 

Currently, there have been incidents that the terrorists take shelters and hide in the compounds of schools. Worst of all, they use the schools at the base camps. 

In addition, the PDF terrorists (puppets of the NUG) have been threatening the schools to close. 

At the time being, schools in Sagaing, Magway, Bago region and Chin State have been closed due to the clashes. 

Therefore, the personnels from the education sectors and Sanghas claimed for designating the school as safe zone to the international and relevant armed groups. 

“80 percent of students in Sagaing Region cannot learn at the moment. The educational staffs also can’t go to their relevant regions to serve as teachers. The whole education sector was suspended. Only schools in some cities can be opened. Also schools in villages can’t be opened. But some schools that can be opened also cannot providing teaching systematically,” the International Buddhist Education Center (IBEC) Sayadaw, U Sobhita said. 

As of now, a total of 88 schoolteachers of both genders were killed by PDF terrorists as per the official records. There are many more incidents of killing beyond the reach of journalists and official statistics.