Enrollment expected to rise this year, but many children still left behind
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Phyo/Pearl (NP News)- May 25
The number of students enrolled in schools for the 2025-2026 academic year may be higher than last year, but many children are still missing out on education, according to some education officials and sources, who spoke to The Statesman Journal.
The school enrollment week for this academic year is set from May 22 to June 1, and high school, middle school, and elementary schools under the Department of Basic Education will open on June 2.
According to the State Administration Council’s data, on the first day of school enrollment week June 22, 1,248,123 (1.248 million) students enrolled in basic education schools, private schools, and monastic schools in various regions and states.
An education official remarked, “From our perspective, we believe that the number of children enrolling in school this upcoming academic year may increase compared to last year. The reason is that there are children who had been studying in neighbouring countries. All of them now need to collect their certificates from the universities or schools they last attended. Because of situations like this, people have come to understand that official recognition from the relevant ministry in their home country is necessary. That’s why, starting from last year, school enrollment numbers have been rising. We expect that this year, the numbers will increase even more compared to the previous year.”
The government is also preparing to reopen basic education schools in Lashio, northern Shan State, which were closed last year due to fighting, but this year, enrollment began on June 22.
It was reported that on the first day of enrollment, many students, including those who had fled the war and moved to schools in other cities, and school-age children who remained in the city, came to enroll.
An education worker said that if displaced children want to attend other schools, they can do so with the recommendation of the school principal, while children who attended private schools need the recom mendation of the township education officer.
However, many basic education schools are closed due to fighting, and children in areas controlled by armed groups, including Rakhine State, Chin State, and northern Shan State, are having difficulty learning to read.
A local resident from Rakhine State said, “In Rakhine, the government controls only three townships. Schools can open in those government-controlled areas, but in areas under AA control, it’s difficult to reopen schools. So for now, they can only manage to provide informal lessons without holding regular classes.”
Currently, while displaced children affected by the conflict are technically able to transfer and attend other schools, many are unable to continue their education due to the difficult living conditions and financial struggles faced by their families.