Parents asked to supplement Mon language teacher salaries in Mon State government schools

June 19, 2015

Insufficient government funding for Mon language teacher salaries in Thanbyuzayat Township government Basic Education schools has led to pressure on parents to compensate for salary deficits. While Mon State Basic Education Primary Schools have been permitted to teach Mon language classes since the start of the 2014-15 school year, parents have reportedly been asked to contribute funds to facilitate the classes, bolstering low salaries on offer from the government.

According to MP Nai Naing Oo, the government provides a salary of just 500 Kyat per hour for Mon language teachers working in Basic Education schools. In comparison, other Basic Education school teachers receive salaries of approximately 100,000 Kyat per month. Nai Naing Oo explained, “It is a very small salary. We asked [the government] to increase it but they did not agree. Instead, the villagers must take responsibility for [Mon teacher] salaries in their area”.

Nai Tin Win, Chairman of Education for Thanbyuzayat Township, detailed that, while some villages were able to resolve the issue by asking existing teachers, already receiving a regular salary, to teach additional Mon language classes after school hours, in other villages there was no choice but to hire a dedicated Mon language teacher, due to a lack of teachers in the school sufficiently fluent in Mon language. In these cases, additional funds were required to supplement government funds available for new teachers’ salaries. Nai Tin Win stated, “Every school has to find a way to solve the problem for their school”.

In Wae Ka Lee Village, Thanbyuzayat Township, it was reported that the Principal of the village’s school had decided to charge a 1,500 Kyat annual fee per student in order to cover a salary for the school’s Mon language teacher. Wae Ka Lee resident Nai Tun explained, “The Principal invited the students’ parents to a meeting, where they set up a group to find funds for the teacher’s salary. But no one wanted to take responsibility. So, the principal decided that every student has to pay 1,500 Kyat per year. I think it is not fair that the government allows us to teach Mon in government schools but does not provide the funding for it”.

Reports of problems with Mon language teacher salaries come alongside accounts of wider issues with the new government Mon language curriculum. In particular, reports have been received that government Mon language modules are too difficult for young students to cope with. Questions have also been raised over reports that government schools have not been given permission to conduct exams for Mon language modules.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News