Kay Due / Kantarawaddy Times
“We’re planning to open the school next week. But for now, we still don’t have a proper school building,” said a member of the IDP committee at Natt Taung IDP camp.
Natt Taung IDP camp is located in DeeMawHso Township. It has around 100 households and a population of over 400 people.
As the school season approaches, children of school-going age are being enrolled. However, there is still no proper place yet for the children to study.
In past years, some classrooms at Natt Taung camp were taught in makeshift school buildings, while others had to be taught in the small homes of nearby villagers due to space limitations.
But now, with the rising number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the growing number of students, it has become more difficult to continue using villagers’ homes as classrooms like before.
The committee member further explained the situation.
“As the population keeps growing, it becomes very inconvenient for villagers to continue offering their homes. Even the toilets are not enough. They (villagers) suggested that it would be better if we could build a separate school building this year,” said the committee member from Natt Taung IDP camp.
Currently, the camp offers education up to the middle school level. While there is a makeshift building for middle school students, there isn’t a proper building for primary school students since they still have to study in houses. A new school building is still urgently needed for them.
The displaced people at the camp are eager to get a proper school building and are willing to contribute their labor as much as they can. However, they also expressed the need for financial assistance to buy essential construction materials.
Now, more than four years into displacement, life has become increasingly difficult for everyone. Although many people are struggling daily, facing hunger and hardship, they rely on each other for support, helping one another just to get by. Despite these challenges, the community at Natt Taung IDP camp is doing everything possible to ensure that their next generation doesn’t miss out on education.
