Junta to Sell Teachers Mobile Phones as ‘Bonus’

Burmese authorities are in the process of offering 7,000 senior assistant teachers in state high schools in Rangoon Division a chance to buy GSM mobile phones at below market value, according to a teacher from No.1 Basic Education High School in Dagon Township.

“The authorities will give the teachers a permit so that they can buy the phones for 1,550,000 kyat (US $1,200),” said a teacher who asked for anonymity. “Now they [the authorities] are collecting a list of teachers from the headmasters of the schools.”

Selling the teachers GSM mobile phones at a price below market value is seen as a “bonus” or reward from the authorities and a way to encourage loyalty to the military government, said one teacher.

A teacher in North Okalarpa Township confirmed to The Irrawaddy on Monday that teachers will pay 1.5 million kyat and an additional 300,000 “for welfare” to the No.3 basic education department that is in charge of the schools and teachers.

Currently, a GSM phone costs around $1,700 (2.1 million kyat) on the black market.

“If some teachers don’t want to have the phone, they can sell the permit on the black market,” said the teacher.

“It seems the generals are trying to ‘buy’ teachers’ loyalty,” said one Rangoon resident.
“They [the authorities] want the teachers to help to keep the students in check.

“The GSM phone is an award for the teachers because they did not encourage the students to join the monk-led protests in September.”

The 1988 democracy uprising was led by university and high school students.

Meanwhile, a teacher in Prome, Min Min, was sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in a human rights workshop in July 2007.

Traditionally, teachers and authorities are at odds. Teacher salaries are low, and they are prohibited from offering private tutoring classes.

There are nearly 6,000 high school teachers in Rangoon Division, serving in 2667 schools.