Myanmar rebels open university

The medical student was taking a shower near his dormitory in the jungles of eastern Myanmar when he heard military planes flying overhead. I hurried to the air raid shelter wearing only my undershorts. But there he faced another danger – the black snake. He grabbed a stick and killed it before it could bite.

“It was scary,” said Khoo Ney Le Win, 21, who worked as a medic in the rebel army before becoming a surgeon. “The fear of dying from a snake bite is as real as the fear of a bomb.”

This is student life at Karenni Medical University. The school was established two years ago in rebel-held territory. A campus with thatched bamboo classrooms and dormitories was built deep in the jungle by professors and students.

The schools were established in rebel-held areas in the four years since Myanmar's military ousted the country's civilian leaders and seized power in a coup, according to anti-junta officials in five regions of the country. It is one of the smallest universities, colleges and academies in the world. There is a lack of funds to purchase the necessary equipment and supplies, and the facilities are basic. However, it is hoped that these schools will be able to contribute to laying the foundations for a new democratic society in this country.

“We did not wait for the end of the revolution to open schools because we feared that if young people were cut off from education for too long, they would change their course, face learning delays, and miss out on higher education opportunities. “I was worried that there might be a problem,” Dr. Mio said. Kant Ko Ko, founder and president of Karenni University of Medical Sciences;

Myanmar's civil war has disrupted the country's rhythm of life. Thousands of people were killed by the military. Tens of thousands more remain in prison. Millions of people are refugees in their own countries. And the economy is in ruins.

The anti-junta military is a loose alliance of disparate groups of armed ethnic minorities that have long fought the military and forces recently formed from the ranks of pro-democracy protesters.

The past 15 months have seen a number of victories for ethnic rebels in the countryside, with the anti-junta government now claiming control over more than half the country, sparking optimism among its supporters. It's spreading.

But the military junta maintains control of Myanmar's major cities, the capital Naypyitaw, and much of the country's wealth and air power. Anthony Davis, a security analyst with the Bangkok-based military publication group Jane's, said they lack significant international support, a steady supply of munitions, and most importantly, a unified chain of command. He said a clear victory remained elusive for the rebels.

Deputy Education Minister Sai Khanh Myo Tun said all 18 schools were located in ethnic rebel territory and were recognized by the shadow unity government. Students pay little or no participation fee.

Educators are also working to establish a school system for elementary and middle school students, many of whom are living in displaced persons camps.

Universities and colleges with student enrollments ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred students offer degrees in science, liberal arts, agriculture, law, technology, nursing, music, and more. Some have partnered with overseas universities to send students abroad to study.

The school remains hidden as much as possible to avoid airstrikes. Some have occupied buildings that were partially damaged in the fighting. Some are tucked away in residential areas or hidden under the jungle canopy.

Some students come to campus from refugee camps, where they live with their parents or siblings. Some join the rebel army and attend classes when not fighting.

A school in Shan State called Ta'an Academy of Arts specializes in ethnic culture and music. The first class has 27 students. Director Aum Sa Ngar said he wanted to preserve local culture while using music “as a medium to heal the psychological trauma faced by people living in conflict zones.”

Administrators say the biggest challenge is a lack of funds to buy equipment, pay salaries and improve facilities.

However, everyone lives in fear of the military regime's fighter jets and drones.

“We teach every day in the constant fear of air strikes, listening carefully to the sounds of planes and looking anxiously at the sky,” said the founder of Karenni State's Fanshawe University (and said Baby Hang Chit Hsu, a chemistry professor at the university. A liberal arts college that opened in March.

Days after the 2021 coup, doctors in Mandalay led a strike that spurred a nationwide civil disobedience movement. Some of them are now leading efforts to establish medical schools in rebel-held areas.

Khin Maung Lwin, who resigned from his position as president of the prestigious Mandalay Medical University in protest, established the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Kachin State in 2023 and recruited professors who participated in the civil disobedience movement.

The school, which has about 100 students, was forced to close twice after bombs began falling nearby. The professor and students were temporarily moved to a safe area near the Chinese border, where students helped treat the injured.

“Many of these students have gained significant practical experience in treating trauma,” said Dr. Khin Maung Lwin.

Nellie Pho, 22, who plans to become a surgeon, is typical of many students at the second Karenni State Medical University to open.

Her family's home was destroyed by military shelling. Her mother and brother live in a refugee camp. His two older brothers are soldiers in the Karenni National Defense Force.

However, her life at jungle medical school is not easy.

Once, while she was sleeping, a huge snake crawled near her pillow. Due to inadequate facilities, cows sometimes bathe in drinking ponds. When a drone or jet plane flies overhead, she immediately interrupts her studies, turns off the lights, and flees to a bomb shelter.

And if snakes and air raids aren't enough, she and other students have to contend with local cows that roam campus and eat their laundry. A veterinarian in the area said the cows' diet may have been low in salt, leading them to seek soap.

Koo Nai Le Win, a student who encountered the snake in the air raid shelter, said the cow ate everything except one shirt and school-issued medical scrubs.

“I lost more than 10 shirts to the cows,” he said.