Kay Du / Kantarawaddy Times
“My parents are working so hard, and I know they must be exhausted. But even so, they make sure I can go to school. So, I must work hard in my studies. I must become a teacher,” says 12-year-old Khu Htay Reh.
Khu Htay Reh and his parents wake up early every day to prepare for farm work. His parents work tirelessly all day, using hoes and plows to cultivate their crops. Witnessing their hard work has inspired Khu Htay Reh to set a clear goal for himself.
His dream of becoming a teacher was not something that developed only at the age of twelve. According to him, he had already decided to become a teacher when he first set foot in school as a young boy.
Usually, young children set goals because of encouragement from their parents. However, Khu Htay Reh set his own ambition and began his educational journey. Now, he is in his third grade.
Seeing his parents work under the scorching sun and pouring rain without rest, Khu Htay Reh understands the importance of education.
His parents fully support his dream of gaining an education. Whenever he hears words of encouragement from them, it strengthens his resolve to reach his goals.
“Dad and Mom said that if I don’t want to do hard labor like them, I must study hard and become a teacher,” he says.
Even before dawn, while his parents are busy cooking meals to take to the fields, Khu Htay Reh helps out as much as he can. However, since there is no water well at their house, he also has to fetch water every morning from the village’s public reservoir.
In the early hours before school, Khu Htay Reh helps his parents cook, fetch water, and then reads his books whenever he has a moment. He describes his daily routine like this:
“I wake up around 4 a.m. and start cooking. When it gets a bit light, I go fetch water. After school, in the evening, I fetch water again, clean the house, and read for at least ten minutes. At night, I read (study) for about twenty minutes before sleeping,” says Khu Htay Reh, the third-grade student.
Khu Htay Reh lives in DawEiSar village, located in Somo Preh Soe Leh (Shardaw) Township, Karenni State. His village has only about 40 households.
Among his three siblings, Khu Htay Reh is the middle child. On school holidays, he also helps take care of his younger sibling, taking on parental responsibilities when needed. Sometimes, while playing with his younger brother, he also finds time to read. Occasionally, he even helps his parents directly on the farm.
In their small, remote village, formal education is only available up to the fourth grade. To continue beyond that, students must travel to middle or high schools in other areas.
Due to these difficulties, many children in the village quit school after primary grades and follow their parents into farm labor. Khu Htay Reh witnessed many of his peers giving up their education and taking up agricultural work like their parents.
Seeing the lack of education in his village, Khu Htay Reh says, “I want to teach and educate the villagers who haven’t had the chance to learn.”
If one day he achieves his dream, his goal is to bring education to those like his parents and the many youths who have lost their way on the path of education.
In Somo Preh Soe Leh (Shardaw) Township, now under complete control of the revolutionary forces for over a year, schools have reopened, but only one high school has been established so far.
According to Education Officer Sayar Nga Yar of the Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC), the dropout rate among school-aged children and youths remains high.
“After finishing fourth grade, it’s very difficult for students to continue to fifth grade because the schools are far away. Parents often can’t afford to send them, so many kids drop out. When they reach middle and high school age, they lose interest. Some want to join the revolutionary groups. Others migrate to Thailand for work. As a result, many quit school after fourth grade,” he explained.
At just 12 years old and still in third grade, Khu Htay Reh continues to strive toward his dream.
In Somo Preh Soe Leh (Shardaw), even though the revolutionary forces have secured control, nearly 80% of youths reported that they felt lost and didn’t know what they wanted to do, according to a local youth leader.
Unlike them, Khu Htay Reh is determined to push forward in his education despite the challenges. The question is, will he succeed?
