Burmese government bans tuitions but teachers continue regardless

IMNA
May 18, 2006

Teachers in Burma are still giving tuitions to students even though the government has banned it by making them sign a pledge while disbursing their monthly emoluments in April.

“Despite the military regime raising salaries it is not enough for survival. So we will continue to give tuitions,” said a teacher who teaches in Rangoon .

The teacher said that they had told the public service personnel to stop corrupt practices after the increase in salaries but they are still into corruption because the public service personnel have no money.

“The salary of a teacher is Kyat 8,500. We have heard that the State Peace and Development Council is raising salaries 10 times. So we thought we would get Kyat 85,000 which would be appropriate for teachers,” said the primary school teacher from Mudon Township . But the SPDC pays about Kyat 30,000 to primary school teachers.

A school master signed in the last week of April not to give tuitions. If a schoolmaster can't give tuitions, how can a non-school teacher do it?

“We give tuitions because we have no money,” said the teacher who teaches at a government officials' house.

Although the authorities banned tuitions in the country, we are waiting to see what the other teachers do. I don't know whether tuition is continuing or not,” said the teacher from Mudon Township , Mon State .

“They had no punishment clause in the paper they made teachers sign. They can penalize if they want to but nothing about punishment is in it,” said the teacher.

Despite the ban on tuition, the fees are higher than last year.