Despite colleges and universities nationwide re-opening on 12 May after being closed for over two years many students are refusing to return as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).

Very few students are attending universities and colleges meaning that the re-opening of the education system was not the show of normality that the junta had been hoping for.

Most students are waiting until the revolution succeeds and interim education is assured by the NUG government. Current estimates are that 70 per cent of students are taking part in the CDM and not attending school.

This is a hard decision for many because they have already missed out on two years of education when educational institutions were shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the political crisis.

Unfortunately, there is no choice for journalism students. They believe that there is no point in them attending journalism courses at universities controlled by the junta in a country where there is no freedom of expression.

“At this time, students studying other majors can openly attend classes. Now, because the junta is detaining journalists, we are even afraid to tell others that we are majoring in journalism. It’s ridiculous to be studying journalism in a country where press freedom and human rights are deteriorating. Other people might not understand us”, said a female journalism student.

“The fundamental principle of journalism is to report the truth without censorship and without being controlled. Only if we 100 per cent succeed in the revolution will we be okay. Otherwise, we might need to completely change our chosen career”, she added on condition of anonymity.

Five months after the coup on 1 July 2021, at least 32 journalists were imprisoned in Myanmar, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Immediately following the coup the junta terminated the licences of 11 independent media outlets. Journalists became a target of the junta. It detained journalists, raided their houses and workplaces and arrested their relatives.

According to the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar since the coup on 1 February 2021 till the end of April 2022, 143 journalists have been detained by the junta. Of those 82 have been released, 58 are still detained and three have been killed.