Border News Agency
Maungdaw, June 9
In Maungdaw Township, which is under the control of the Arakan Army, school textbooks are reportedly at high prices, according to parents of students and stationery shop owners.
In addition, parents of students say that other school supplies such as blank notebooks, pencils, pens, and rulers are also at high prices.
“It’s no longer easy to send children to school. Just buying textbooks and school supplies costs over a hundred thousand kyats. Everything is expensive – there’s nothing cheap. Even pencils are costly,” a parent from Maungdaw told Border News Agency.
According to stationery shop owners, the prices of school textbooks are as follows: around 20,000 kyats for KG, 30,000 kyats for Grades 1 to 3, between 35,000 to 40,000 kyats for Grades 4 and 5, 45,000 kyats for Grades 6 to 8, 50,000 kyats for Grade 9, 65,000 kyats for Grade 10, 75,000 kyats for Grade 11, and up to 85,000 kyats for Grade 12.
In addition, a single blank notebook for school use is priced at a minimum of 2,000 kyats, while a dozen extra blank notebooks can cost up to 25,000 kyats.
Stationery shop owners say the high prices are due to difficulties in ordering and purchasing items, including printed textbooks and school supplies, as well as transportation challenges, which have led to increased costs.
“In Maungdaw, school textbooks have become rare items. It’s very difficult to order or purchase them. Transportation is poor, and the overall expenses are quite high. That’s why the prices are going up,” a stationery shop owner in Maungdaw told Border News Agency.
Additionally, shop owners said that a dozen hardcover notebooks (for handwriting) now cost around 30,000 kyats, while the green-cover notebooks (previously provided by the government) are being sold for between 20,000 to 25,000 kyats per dozen.
In addition, stationery shop owners say that a single exercise book for Grades 1 to 4 costs between 5,000 to 6,000 kyats, those for Grades 5 to 11 are priced up to 8,000 kyats, and for Grade 12, it can go up to 10,000 kyats.
Furthermore, stationery shop owners say that a single school curriculum answer book costs between 18,000 and 20,000 kyats.
Since the beginning of the Arakan war, the Myanmar junta has blocked and restricted all land and water routes in the Arakan region, as well as banned the flow of goods. As a result, supplies have become scarce, and prices have risen in areas controlled by the Arakan Army.
In the areas controlled by the Arakan Army, the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government is providing public services and has established the Arakan Department of Education to deliver educational services to Arakan children.
