Basic education schools for the current 2021-2022 academic year opened June 1 seeing fewer students than ever, according to local school sources.

Schools across Myanmar started opening on June 1. Some schools in Yangon Region also opened today but saw fewer students than before.

Some students have enrolled at their respective schools. But, only some of them were found to be coming to school on the very first day of school opening.

“About 70 over 150 students who enrolled came today. The remaining 80 are said to be coming tomorrow. Normally, there should be hundreds of students at our school,” said an official from a basic education school in Yangon Region.

Some parents reportedly received phone calls from schools asking their children to come to school in case they will not come after their enrollments.  

“Schoolchildren are worried. We had to make some phone calls to them to come to school,” said the school head of a basic education high school.

Some schools open but most remain closed. Soldiers or police are being deployed in front of the schools that have opened.

Basic education schools across the country started enrolling on May 24. In three days, over 170,000 students at primary to high school levels made their enrollments, according to the regional education office.

Some schools in Mawlamyine Township, Mon State, will have one shift per day in place of two shifts because of fewer students.

A school board of trustees member from Maha Myaing Primary School in Mawlamyine said 40 students came to school in the morning shift but the list of students for the afternoon shift had not been available.  

“We have yet to receive the list of students for the afternoon shift. As of tomorrow, we will have only one shift from 8 am to 3 pm. Today, we also accepted three or four students for their enrollments. More may come later. They are waiting and seeing on the very first day,” he said.

Similarly, Basic Education High School No.11 (Thiri Myaing) will have only one shift in coming days, a nearby resident said.  

The school enrollment week for 2021-2022 academic year was set from May 24 to 31. Students would not be charged for their school enrollments, the education ministry announced on April 30.