Community
Background
Karen Students’
Center was established in 1971 by U Saw Thar Mya Aung. Before the school set up
into Karen Students’ Center it was as a small dormitory. Then it built by
bamboo in neighbor’s land. Land owner is Karen woman who motivated education
and she donate the land to build the dormitory. The dormitory’s mission is Karen
young people who are from rural area and can continue their High School and to
improve their education. Therefore, Karen literature committee started to plan
for Karen young people to continue their education by staying in dormitory in
town. Before the dormitory existed female students from rural area was treated
by house owner husband because they have to stay in other people house to
continue their education,
In 1973, Karen literature committee planned to build a
new dormitory with wood. The reason is within two year number of students are
increasing 20 people to 50 people. In this case villagers from Hling Bway
Township that they donate wood for building dormitory. Then, Karen public also
donate some fund as much as they can support. Consequently it was completed
successfully and many Karen students could continue their education till 2014.
Now,
Karen Students’ Center opened by 2002. It was supported by Karen literature
committee, Donors from Japan, Karen monks and Karen general Bo Moe Chit Thu to
build for this 3 layers of dormitory in new own land. Furthermore, there are
one more new building for girl dormitory. Before the new building have done, Karen
Students’ Center alumni students make fundraising by selling raffle ticket and distribute
to the villages around Karen state.
Karen Students’ Center exist as a private
school since 2014. Currently, there are two dormitory for 83 male students and
172 female students and, 39 staff who live in dormitory. At present, they still
provide bordering for students.The school’s curriculum is based on Burmese
Curriculum. There are six subjects which are Burmese, Science, Math, Geography,
History and English. Moreover, they have extra curriculum such as Karen
literature and computer class.
Every
years, students and teacher have to find the school fundraising by singing song
around the Hpa.an area for celebrate Karen New Year and for running school cost
such as for teacher salary. The reason that Karen Students’ Center does not
have any donors to support us. Therefore, students and teacher try to provide
the school to be stable for Karen people in the future.Currently, there are 255
students who live in dormitory and studying in Karen Students’ Center are
facing food problem. The reason is there are not enough space to store the
firewood in rainy season. It make rice uncooked.
Every
years, students have to pay money for school feel. It also depends on the food
price such as if the food price is higher school feel is increase each year.
However, school does not work as a business that it only focus on students who
cannot continue their Higher education. In Karen Students’ Center, students
have to give only 600,000 Kyat instead of paying 120,000 Kyat in other dormitory.
Furthermore, school has limited for paying school feel such as dividing 3 times
in a year. The reason is students who are from poor family so that they cannot
give all money at a time.
In Karen Students’ Center, they have rules for students
such as they have to wear only Karen Hlone kyi and no discrimination between
each other. However, school is not only looking for education but also trying
to empathize their feeling and trained their ethical to be in a good person
because students are from different background.
