Since 2012 violence, Myanmar government denied admission of Rohingya students in the universities. At that time, there were many Rohingya students at different levels in the university, some were in second-year, some in third-year and many in first-year. Now they are demanding to continue their educational ambition.
Mg Thann Zaw, who was a second-year university student majoring Chemistry said, “We have asked the government to allow us to continue our studies in Rakhine state or to transfer us to universities in other states, but the government ignored our request”.
Mg Hla Myint said, “If I get a chance now, I will attend the university because I was a third-year student when the violence sprang in 2012. I am just one year away from my graduation. A university degree will open up a new opportunity and a better life for me.”
Apart from denial to higher education, the Rohingyas have a few to no option to high school too. There is only one high school for the Rohingya community in Sittwe. It is situated in Thek Kay Pyin Goon village and has over 4000 students. There are around 80 students in each classroom. It has only three government trained-teachers and the rest are volunteer teachers.
Despite all this restriction, last year 75 students have passed in the matriculation exam, yet they are denied university admission.
