by Hafizur Rahman
KYAUKTAW, Arakan, 13 August 2026: Rohingya families in Kyauktaw are facing concerns over a proposed new school fee system that could significantly increase the cost of education for children, according to the Rohingya Schools Committee in the township.
The committee said Rohingya communities have largely relied on volunteer teachers to keep local schools operating since communal violence in 2012 disrupted access to education. Villagers have traditionally contributed small amounts to support the teachers, while children from families unable to pay have often been allowed to attend classes free of charge.
According to the committee, local education authorities have now proposed assigning six to seven government-registered Rakhine teachers to Rohingya schools. The teachers would reportedly attend classes three days a week, while Rohingya volunteer teachers would continue teaching alongside them.
Under the proposed arrangement, elementary-level students would be required to pay 10,000 Myanmar kyats per month, while middle-school students would pay 20,000 kyats, the committee said.
The committee said the fees would be used to cover the salaries of the newly assigned registered teachers and would not include salaries for existing Rohingya volunteer teachers, which communities would still have to support separately.
Previously, according to the committee, families generally contributed between 5,000 and 10,000 kyats to support volunteer teachers, while poorer students could study without paying.
The committee warned that the proposed fees could place a significant burden on Rohingya households, particularly families with several school-age children. A household with two or three children could face substantially higher monthly education costs, especially if villagers are also required to continue supporting Rohingya volunteer teachers.
It warned that children from poorer households could ultimately be forced to leave school if their families are unable to meet the costs.
The Rohingya Schools Committee has urged the local education authorities in Kyauktaw to reconsider the proposed arrangement and ensure that Rohingya children can continue their education regardless of their families’ ability to pay.
“Our request to the Kyauktaw education authorities is to reconsider this school plan as soon as possible,” the committee said.
Rohingya Khobor could not independently verify the proposed fee structure or obtain a response from the relevant education authorities at the time of publication.
