AA introduces Rakhine as subject in schools, replacing Myanmar language

The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government, the civilian administration established by the Arakan Army (AA), has replaced the Myanmar language with the Rakhine language (also called Arakanese) as a subject of study across Grade 12 in schools under its control. The administration’s National Educational Department has already distributed Rakhine-language textbooks to students for the 2026-2027 academic year that began earlier this month, sources told Myanmar Now. While Rakhine has been the language of instruction in Rakhine schools for some time, students will now study the language as a subject in itself, replacing Myanmar. The curriculum covers phonetics, essay writing, and the study of the Naradhipati stone inscription, a revered 18th century artifact of the former Arakan Kingdom. The move is significant, as successive military regimes in Myanmar have excluded ethnic languages from the country’s formal education system since the 1960s. Government schools in ethnic areas have used Burmese as the language of instruction, and universities and colleges have offered no majors in ethnic languages. A high school teacher who helped draft the new subject curriculum confirmed that the replacement has officially begun. “We made this switch because preserving our literature is necessary for our national identity,” they said. “It’s something that simply had to be done.” While the majority of the local ethnic Rakhine population support the change, with some suggesting that the replacement should be extended across all schooling levels from primary to high school, others point out practical challenges. One teacher noted that introducing the Rakhine curriculum at the highest grade first presents difficulties for students. “It is challenging to push this change straight from the top without building up step-by-step from the primary levels,” the teacher said. “For both teachers and students who have been accustomed to studying Burmese their entire lives, introducing this abruptly in their final, most critical academic year creates a real headache.” Evacuated children taking their first-semester exams in Rakhine State in December, 2025 (Photo: Dago Sayar Tun - Education Center) The AA controls 14 out of 17 townships in Rakhine State, as well as Paletwa Township in Chin State. The new curriculum would be rolled out uniformly across all schools in those areas, including Paletwa which has a predominantly ethnic Chin population. While education in the region was severely disrupted during the AA’s fight for control against the Myanmar military, since the AA gained outright control of the townships they have begun implementing systemic educational reforms. During the previous academic year, schools relied on an informal system where student fees were distributed among teachers. Local educational sources reported that starting from this year, the central education department will implement a standardized salary system for teachers. According to parents, monthly tuition fees for the 2026-2027 academic year are set at 10,000 kyat for primary students, 20,000 kyat for middle school students, and 30,000 kyat for high school students. Students attend classes during weekdays on a single-shift schedule in designated safe locations, studying general subjects such as English, mathematics, world history and geography. Myanmar history was removed from the school syllabus in 2025. Students are also required to sing the Arakan National Anthem instead of the Myanmar National Anthem before classes begin. The Arakan National Education Department also established the Arakan National University last year, and is currently accepting applications for arts and science undergraduate programs.

AA introduces Rakhine as subject in schools, replacing Myanmar language

The Rakhine-language textbook has already been distributed to Grade 12 students across AA territory, including Chin State’s Paletwa, for the current academic year

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