Education officer pressurizes teachers to hold exams amid gun fighting near Ann

Thinzar Nwe, Narinjara News, 1 October 2024

Despite the heavy fighting that broke out near Ann town of  Arakan State, the township education officer pressurizes the teachers to hold the first semester examinations.

Elementary, middle and high school students are required to sit for exams in basic education schools starting on 5 October, while residents in the urban areas are desperately seeking refuge from the intense fighting, artillery fire and aerial bombardments, said a lady.

“The teachers informed the parents that the first semester examinations may  be the final exams and urged the students to participate. I don’t know when the fighting will take place in the urban areas too. So I will ask them to sit for exams understanding the situation,” she added.

A female education staff member in Ann said that although teachers are worried about the ongoing fighting, the township education officer compelled them to conduct the first semester examinations.

“The government employees in the urban areas of Ann will not be allowed to flee the conflict and the first semester exams will be conducted as planned. However, we are concerned as we hear the sound of weapons every day. We also worry about the students. If anything happens, who will be responsible for that,” she stated.

Narinjara News is trying to contact the Ann education officer for the authentication.

The residents reported that fighting had intensified since the last week of September near Kyauk Sa Kwe, Mee Laung Chaung and Yat Thar villages, which are about 7 miles away from Ann town. The  situation compelled some residents to flee to Minbu and other urban areas.

On 1 October morning, the 371st light infantry battalion, the closest battalion to Ann, began firing artillery shells, informed a lady.

Similarly, on 30 September the battalion in Ann urban areas fired artillery shells for the whole day. The residents reported that they heard the sound of fighter jets dropping bombs at 5 and 9:30 pm.