Myagdi: A conflict-hit student, who appeared in this year's SLC as an open school candidate, has been denied the mark sheet and certificate as he could not pay the fee of Rs 3,700 demanded by the school.

Thak Bahadur Purja passed the SLC exam in second division from Prakash Secondary School of Beni under the open schooling programme launched by the government for the conflict-hit students. Purja had lost his father during the Maoist insurgency, while his mother married another man leaving him all by himself.

Purja said that the school declined to hand over his mark sheet and certificate as he had not paid the school fees. He added that the school was willing to provide him the academic documents if he chose to continue his further studies in the same school.

 “The teachers rebuked me telling that the school was not a cloth store where I could bargain over the fee,” said Purja tearfully.

Chief District Officer of Myagdi, Krishna Prasad Gyawali, said it was wrong to solicit money from conflict-hit students when the government has taken free education policy up to secondary level. “On top of that, a conflict-hit student cannot be treated this way at all,” he said. “We will investigate the case and initiate necessary action on behalf of the boy.”

source: The Kathmandu Post