Education in Ratanakiri

In Ratanakiri Province, there are a great number of indigenous youth, in particular females, who wish to attend secondary school but come from remote villages, who do not have a chance to recieve a basic education.  It is especially difficult for them to continue their education beyond grade 5, as this usually requires moving to live in a district center or provincial town far from their home village.  This is because the only upper secondary school (offering through grade 12) is located in the provincial capital, and a number of the district centers offer only several of the lower secondary grades.  The main difficulties are livelihood issues, financial means, and lack of accommodations.  They face challenges such as high school fees, lack of quality of education, lack of parental support, and health issues.  In the past several years the cost of rent in Banlung, the provincial town in Ratanakiri has more than doubled.  Thus the primary challenge facing students who wish to attend secondary school is the raising housing costs.