Students pay excess maintenance fees in Ye Town

September 29, 2009

WCRP: About 20 primary, middle and high schools in Ye town, Mon State, are requiring excessive school maintenance fees from each student. According to sources, the fees will be collected a few times a year based on the school’s needs, as determined by the school’s principle.

On August 15th, the students at No.1 Basic Education Middle School (BEM) paid their 1st installment of 3 maintenance fees. Students in 1st thru 6th standard paid 3,000 kyat, while students in 7th and 8th standard paid 5,500 kyat. 1,500 students attend BEM.

Students’ parents became upset after hearing about the new maintenance fees. One mother said, “I have 3 children at the school, I had to pay over 10,000 kyat. I am a merchant… I can not earn enough money.” She added “My husband went to work in Thailand but he doesn’t send me money. I had to borrow money for my son and daughter to pay these fees.”

A student from 8th standard informed the WCRP, “They require this fee for buying recycling bins and water jugs.” Ceramic water jugs in Mon State costs 1,500 kyat and are filled at local wells, plastic jugs, that are filled by Ye township administration, initially cost 4,500 kyat and 500 kyat for each refill, and recycling bins cost 3,000 kyat. By the end of the school year, BEM will have collected 9,000 kyat from each 1st thru 6th standard student and 16,500 kyat from each 7th and 8th standard student. According to WCRP estimates, the minimum amount the school has thus far received is 4.5 million kyat. At the time of writing, only a few bins and jugs had been purchased for the school, according to sources.

If students are unable to meet the deadline of any of the three payments, teachers call student’s parents and urge them to pay.

Another mother from No.1 BEM School expressed distress over the fees, “I tap rubber at a plantation, I do not make enough money but I will pay for my son’s education.”
Every June, in addition to school maintenance fees, students must pay registration fees, and textbook and notebook costs.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News