A “40mm grenade” exploded after the student handled it in the school in the southern city of Dawei, the junta’s information team said in a statement.

The grenade had been fired by “insurgents” during previous clashes, it said, without providing further details.

It did not give details on the condition of the 22 other students and a parent who it said were wounded in the blast.

The junta’s information team said a mine clearance operation had been carried out in the area.

Local media reported that the incident happened at a primary school.

Myanmar remains deeply divided by conflict between the junta and opponents of its 2021 coup.

Civilians are caught up in near-daily bomb blasts, targeted killings and clashes as established ethnic minority armed groups and newer pro-democracy “People’s Defence Forces” fight the junta across swathes of the country.