by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, Rakhine State | December 3, 2025
Parents in Ngan Chaung village in northern Maungdaw Township say they are struggling with unusually high monthly fees collected by the local high school headmistress. Families reported that charges range from forty thousand to ninety thousand kyat per month, placing a heavy burden on many households.
The headmistress has been at the school for many years. Residents said she previously served under the military council and is married to a former headmaster who also worked during the military period.
Parents said the school collects fees from all levels of students. Primary students pay ten thousand kyat each month, middle school students pay twenty thousand kyat and high school students pay thirty thousand kyat. Additional payments are collected for teachers, bringing the total monthly cost for some families close to ninety thousand kyat.
Despite these fees, parents said essential subjects are not being taught. The high school has no Chemistry teacher, and students have not attended a single Chemistry class this year. Of the five remaining subjects, only two teachers receive salaries from a donor. The other three teachers, who should each receive four hundred thousand kyat per month, remain unpaid. Parents allege that the headmistress uses collected funds for personal expenses.
Parents estimate that even after covering basic costs, more than two and a half million kyat remains each month. Without payment for the three high school teachers, student learning has significantly declined. One parent said their child has missed an entire year of important lessons.
Middle school students face similar problems. Although teachers are officially appointed by the education department, families said many do not attend regularly and sometimes miss classes for weeks. Complaints submitted to the headmistress have not received a response. In addition to the twenty thousand kyat monthly fee, middle school students are charged an extra two thousand kyat for school maintenance.
Parents also said the headmistress refuses to support fee exemption requests from poor families. Some children have been forced to drop out because their applications were not forwarded to the education office.
Community members said the situation reflects a broader pattern in which former officials from the military council era continue to hold influential positions and manage schools in the same way. Parents are now calling for authorities to investigate the fees, ensure that teachers are paid on time and make it possible for all students to attend school without interruption.
