Many Schools Still Closed in Myanmar 学校に通えない子供たち

*英語に続いて日本語

This is a report on the present educational environment in Myanmar. It has been compiled using news resources, and first person accounts.

All the schools had been closed for the 2020-2021 academic year due to Covid 19 pandemic.

On February 1, 2021, the military staged a coup d’eta.

Civil Disobedience Movement

Many citizens of Myanmar rejected the legitimacy of the coup and began to take part in the The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Many public officials, including school teachers, refused to work under the tyranny of the dictatorship. Because of the teachers’ involvement in the CDM, the possibility of school reopening had become doubtful.

The junta forced the opening of the Basic Education level on June 1 (Myanmar academic school year starts in June.) In a cosmetic effort to show they were doing good, the junta cleaned the school compounds and gave out presents to entice the parents to return their children to school. And in some places, security officials were put in place to keep a close watch on the classes. However, in so many places, the percentage of students attending has been very low and there were many places where the junta could not open schools. Because of Covid’s severe impact on Myanmar, the schools were forced to close again on July 9.

Since the covid situation has been improving the junta reopened the school again on November 1. There are 530,430 registered students in Yangon, but according to Mizzima-Burmese News, there were only 82,278 students attending. On the 2nd of November, in different places in Mandalay, the junta officers asked people to send their children to school. They even went to the schools to meet students according to the Mizzimma-Burmese News.

On the other hand, democracy activists and some PDF (People Defense Force) urged parents to take part in CDM by not sending their children to school.

Life is Far from Normal

On November 7th, at around 7 PM, a bomb exploded near the gate of Basic Education High School No. 7 in Myitkyina in Kachin State, reported by the 74 Media. No one was hurt.

According to Zalen media, in Chin State, schools are open in only 4 cities: Tonzang, Tedim, Matupi and Paletwa. No schools have been opened in Upper Sagaing, Upper Magway and Kayah State.

There is no sign when things will return to normal for the children of Myanmar.

今回はミャンマーの現在の教育環境についてのレポートです。ニュース資料や個人の証言をもとにまとめられています。

2020年から2021年にかけて、新型コロナウィルスのパンデミックによりすべての学校が閉鎖されていました。

そして2021年2月1日、軍部がクーデターを起こしました。

市民による不服従運動 – CDM

ミャンマーの多くの市民はクーデターの正当性を否定しCDM – Civil Disobedience Movement（市民不服従運動）に参加し始めました。教師をはじめとする多くの公務員が、独裁政権の圧政の下で働くことを拒否しているため、学校再開の可能性も危ぶまれています。

そんな中、6月1日、国軍は基礎教育レベルの開校を強行しました。（ミャンマーの新学期は6月開始）自分たちが良いことをしているという体裁を整えるために、学校の敷地内を掃除したり、プレゼントを配るなどして、保護者が子どもたちを学校に戻すよう働きかけました。授業を見守るために警備員が配置された学校もありました。それでも、生徒の出席率は非常に低く、開校できない地域も多くありました。そして、コロナウィルスの感染拡大を受け、7月9日には再び学校を閉鎖せざるを得ませんでした。

コロナの感染状況が改善してきたため、11月1日から学校が再開されました。ヤンゴンには530,430人の登録生徒がいますが、Mizimma-Burmese Newsによると、出席したのは82,278人でした。 11月2日、マンダレーのさまざまな場所で、国軍の役人たちが人々に子供たちを学校に通わせるように頼んだり、学校に行って生徒に会ったりもしたということです。

一方、民主運動家や一部のPDF-People Defense Force（国民防衛隊）は、子供を学校に送らないことでCDMに参加するよう、保護者に呼びかけを続けています。