Arakan National Education - Educating in Emergency

By GAN

Longread: Opinions                                       July 17, 2025

Students in Arakan (photocrd)

Education in Arakan (Rakhine State) has long been a tool of oppression under the State Administration Council (SAC), designed to erase our cultural identity and subjugate youths to Burman dominance. The United League of Arakan (ULA) and Arakan Army (AA), driven by the "Arakan Dream" and the "Way of Rakhita," are transforming this landscape to nurture a generation that upholds our heritage and national dignity.

Since the conflict resumed on November 13, 2023, SAC airstrikes and blockades have shuttered schools, displaced over 500,000 people—including countless children—and halted formal education. Yet, with control over 15 townships as of June 23, 2025, the ULA/AA is building an education system to prepare Arakan for sovereignty and self-reliance.

The SAC’s neglect is profound. Before our advances, schools lacked textbooks, trained teachers, and basic facilities, while curricula ignored Arakanese history, replacing it with Bamar-centric narratives that undermined our identity. The war has exacerbated this crisis, with classrooms destroyed in airstrikes and teachers fleeing violence in areas like Maungdaw and Buthidaung. The ULA/AA has responded by establishing community learning centers across controlled townships, such as Kyauktaw, where local volunteers use salvaged materials to teach Rakhine language, the history of the Mrauk-U Empire, and foundational subjects like mathematics and science.

These centers, though modest, are a testament to our people’s determination to reclaim their educational future. The travel ban, enacted in May 2025 to curb trafficking by exploiting gangs, restricts men under 45 and women under 25 from leaving the region, but we ensure educational access for those with dependents, balancing security with the right to learn.

The destruction caused by Cyclone Mocha in May 2023 and ongoing fighting demands urgent rebuilding efforts. The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government (APRG) prioritizes reconstructing schools, often using bamboo and thatch where concrete is unavailable, and training community members as educators.

Young Students in Classroom (photocrd)

International support from India or international community could accelerate this process, but we insist on autonomy over educational content, rejecting SAC-imposed textbooks that glorify Burman rule. The SAC’s conscription drive, targeting youth to bolster their forces, threatens our students, but the ULA/AA views education as a shield, equipping them with leadership skills, resilience, and a deep understanding of Arakan’s struggle for freedom. The new curricula include detailed lessons on our history and the principles of the "Way of Rakhita," countering decades of cultural erasure.

Intercommunal dynamics pose a significant challenge. Tensions with the Muslim community, fueled by SAC propaganda about alleged AA abuses in Maungdaw in August 2024, require careful navigation. We offer education to all residents under APRG governance, establishing shared learning spaces to foster unity and counter division.

The displacement crisis strains resources, with teacher shortages and limited supplies of books and materials, but our alliances with the Three Brotherhood Alliance (3BHA) and cautious ties with the National Unity Government (NUG) offer prospects for humanitarian aid and educational support. The ULA/AA envisions an education system that cultivates critical thinking, cultural pride, and the skills needed for nation-building, free from external imposition.

As of June 23, 2025, this vision is taking root, though hampered by conflict and resource constraints. Defeating the SAC to secure a stable environment and international assistance will solidify this foundation, ensuring Arakan’s youth lead with dignity and purpose.