For 50 years, Burmese was the only language allowed to be taught in schools - despite the fact the country is made up of more than 130 ethnic groups, many with their own language.

Now, one state has become the first of the ethnic regions to reintroduce an ethnic language into the classroom.

But state educators are struggling with a problem they didn't foresee - a shortage of teachers.



Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reports from Lashio in Shan State.