Parents from Man Lung are worried that the school in their village won’t be ready in time for classes to start because the promised funds to repair the building where the school is planned haven’t arrived.
The residents returned to the village in northern Shan State in April after living in two displaced camps since 2016, when they fled fighting.
A resident who spoke to KNG on condition of anonymity said the village committee hasn’t talked about the repairs and no one has come to offer them financial support. They cannot afford to send their children to schools in Kutkai town, which is about 7 miles away, he explained.
Another resident said she was worried about her children because of the fighting in the area.
“Sometimes we still hear the sounds of gunfire. We don’t feel that this is a safe place for our children. We’re also worried if the teachers want to come to this school,” she said. As parents, the woman said it is crucial to provide an education for their kids.
Residents want the education department, which is now under the regime, to allocate a budget to repair the school and hire teachers. If they don’t get money for instructors, they have to find volunteers.
There are 163 people from 32 families living in Man Lung, but only 20 children will attend the primary school when it opens.
