Over 125,000 teachers in Myanmar suspended for opposing military rule
Protest against the February military coup in Yangon, Myanmar . File foto
Over 125,000 school teachers in Myanmar have been suspended by the military authorities for joining protest movement against the military coup of February, foreign media quoting the Myanmar Teachers Federation reported.
The suspensions have come days before the start of a new academic year, which some teachers and parents are boycotting as part of the campaign that has paralysed the country since the coup expurgated the democratic reforms.
A total of 125,900 school teachers had been suspended said the official of the teachers federation.
Myanmar had 430,000 school teachers.
“These are just statements to threaten people to come back to work. If they actually fire this many people, the whole system will stop,” said the official, who is also a teacher. He had been offered the charges he faces would be dropped if he returns.
The state-run newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar has called on teachers and students to return to schools to get the education system started again.
The disruption at schools echoes that in the health sector and across government and private business since Myanmar was plunged into chaos by the coup and the arrest of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Around 19,500 university staff have also been suspended.
