new sets of curriculum are being developed; most strongly prefer using the Myanmar
government curriculum and wonder why it is not being used by education NGOs.”92
All the private tutors and teachers at unofficial, community-run schools whom
Human
Rights Watch interviewed teach the Myanmar curriculum, using copies of old textbooks.
Children studying with tutors reported varying hours of instruction, from one hour per week
to two hours per day, six days per week. 193
Mohamed M., 20, a former teacher in Myanmar, said he began volunteering as a tutor
when families in the camps asked him for help. He teaches 30 students, ages 13 to 18,
from 2 to 4 p.m. five days per week. “I need books from the Myanmar curriculum, but they
are not available, only photocopies, and there aren’t enough,” he said.*94 Amin, a student
who studies with a different tutor, said he had been in class 6 in Myanmar. He does not
attend “a learning center because it’s only for kids, not for classes 3 or 4 and older, buta
private tutor is not enough for students. We need a curriculum and a school, but there isn’t
any school to go to. The tutor doesn’t take money, he’s doing it only for our future. But
NGOs should support them to increase the scale.”195
There is also a clear demand for education in the Myanmar curriculum at lower grade levels,
because of the poor perceived quality of instruction in learning centers and the familiarity
and hoped-for benefits of the Myanmar curriculum upon the refugees’ eventual return
home.196 Two former teachers in Myanmar have opened an unofficial school in the camps
that “teaches the same subjects as the learning centers, but in a completely different way,”
said Bashar B., 53, who had taught 4th and 5th grades in a government school in Myanmar
for 25 years.197 “In the learning centers they teach the same thing day after day, which is
not good for the students.” After refugee parents asked them to do so, the two teachers
opened their unofficial school in a disused medical center in the camps.198 They volunteer
their time, and teach 4o students, in two classrooms, one for children in classes 1 through
192 Id., p.13.
193 Human Rights Watch group interview with 13 children studying with the same tutor, and group interview with 12 children
all studying with several different private tutors, Cox’s Bazar, February 11 and 12, 2019.
194 Human Rights Watch interview, Mohamed M. (a pseudonym), Cox’s Bazar, February 13, 2019.
195 Human Rights Watch interview, Rahul Amin, Cox’s Bazar, February 11, 2019.
196 Human Rights Watch interviews with Bashar B., Nur N., Salah Uddin, Cox’s Bazar, February 11, 15, 14, 2019.
197 Human Rights Watch interview, Bashar B. (a pseudonym), Cox’s Bazar, February 11, 2019.
198 Human Rights Watch interview, Bashar B., Cox’s Bazar, February 11, 2019.
“ARE WE HUMAN?”
54