By Independent Mon News Agency – Township business owners in Three Pagodas Pass, near the Burma-Thai border, were ordered by the sub-township administrator to provide money for the 2011–2012 school year, according to sources close to businessmen in the town.
Myo Kyi, the sub-township administrator, called a meeting on May 23. In attendance were over 200 people who run businesses in the town, including gold shops, teashops, and mining companies. Myo Kyi asked the business owners for money to support education in the town.
“He told those of us who have gold and tea shops to pay at least 5,000 baht. However, the mining company owners have to pay from 6,000 to 10,000 baht,” said a teashop owner in town who participated in the meeting.
The source said that the businessmen complained to the sub-township administrator during the meeting, saying they do not want to give money if they are forced.
Thu Rain, who is close to several businessmen in the town, said, “They [businessmen] told me they will not give the money as he [Myo Kyi] ordered them to. They will give it only if he makes the ‘donations’ voluntary.”
“When we complained and argued that we do not want to pay the money, Myo Kyi threatened that we could be punished. But he did not tell how,” said the teashop owner.
The businessmen in the town explained that they should not have to provide money for the 2011 school year as Burma’s new government has already announced that 2011–2012 will be a free educational year.
The sources said that this is the first time businessmen have been asked to financially support education in the town since the new government convened in March.
Meanwhile, students in town have started enroll at the local schools. The fee for primary education registration is 275 baht, plus 20 baht for registration fees, per student.
“It costs from 700 baht to 800 baht for middle school students,” explained a local student’s parent. School registration was started on May 25 for study year 2011–2012.
The Eleven Media Group, based in Rangoon, the former capital of Burma, reported on May 25 that Nyan Tun Oo, regional minister for education in Rangoon, has instructed all school teachers not to accept any funds or donations from the families of students as the education year 2011–2012 is going to be free for primary schools.
