An interview with a woman from Hpa-An, whose children are not sent to the school opened by the military council.
June 20th, 2022
The military council reopened basic education schools and universities after last year’s coup in an attempt to show that the country has returned to normal. The military council held the matriculation exam for the first time in late March. The matriculation exam result was released on June 17th.
Despite the strong resistance across the country and frequent bomb blasts in downtown areas, the military council opened the basic education schools in early June this year for the second time. The KIC interviewed a woman from Hpa-An Township who has decided to send four of her children to the school only after democracy is restored to the country as she has no trust in the military council’s education system.
Q: Soon the matriculation exam result is going to come out. How do you feel as you don’t enroll your children? Why did you decide to skip the enrollment of your children?
A: I feel sorry as I could not send my children to the school. I decided not to send my four children to the school as I have no trust in the military’s slavery education and feel sympathy for the internally displaced children and the families whose houses were burned down.
Q: Don’t you enroll your children at the schools run by the online federal education of the National Unity Government (NUG)?
A: I have heard the schools opened by the NUG. I want to send my children to those schools. I don’t know how to contact them. I like the NUG’s education system. I cannot send my children as I don’t understand how to do it.
Q: Almost all students in the ward are attending the schools. Do you want your children to attend the school?
A: I will send my children back to the schools when Mother Suu is freed. I have decided not to send my children to the schools as long as democracy is not restored to the country. As a parent, I want my children to be the educated ones. I have decided not to send my children to the school as the country lacks stability and the genuine democracy I want.
Q: It is found that most parents send their children to the schools as the military council threatened to make enrollment. Do you receive such a threat?
A: The military council threatened to take action against some parents if they don’t send their children to the schools. I don’t want to comment about it as they want their children to be the educated ones. Some parents received the military council’s threat while some others feared that the military council would take action if they failed to make enrollment, I think.
Q: Which message do you want to convey to the officials of the NUG about education or revolution?
A: I want to enroll my children at the schools operated under the education system of the NUG. But I don’t know how to make enrollment. There are many people like me. I don’t know how to contact them.
Q: Do you worry about the education of your children if the revolution doesn’t achieve success in a short period of time?
A: My answer is “Yes”. But learning at a younger age is the best. I think the main point is that children must have a desire to pursue their education when they grow up. So, I have told my children to have a burning desire to learn. I don’t worry. My children want to pursue their education. It has nothing to do with age. I will help them to learn their education if they have a desire to learn, even if they grow older. I have decided to enroll my children at the NUG’s schools. I will certainly enroll them if the children have a desire to learn their education and I can contact the Education of the NUG. I have not made enrollment as I don’t know how to contact the NUG.
Q: May I know your view on the military council and the education system operated by the Non-CDM teachers?
A: As for me, I have no trust in the military slavery education. Under the military slavery education system, our children will get nothing.
Q: Do your children tell you to attend the school as other children are attending their classes?
A: My children told me that they wanted to attend the schools as all of their friends were attending the schools. I told them that the education system was not good. It cannot bring about any knowledge. I myself don’t believe it. I told my children not to go to school. I will not send my children to school as long as democracy is not restored.
Sent by the KIC
