Rajbiraj: Government schools have started borrowing students from private schools after the District Education Office launched a campaign to count heads to ascertain the exact number of students in government schools in Saptari district.

The DEO started the campaign after being informed about mismanagement of scholarships and miscellaneous funds through manipulation of data on students in most schools of the district.

Locals accused Budhewa-based National Primary School of Lohajara of conducting the half-yearly examination by borrowing students from nearby private schools like Ramjanaki Boarding School and Nawajyoti Boarding School, after they came to know about the DEO campaign. “There are 356 students in the school from grade I to V, but 25 students were borrowed from two boarding schools for the examination, which was conducted on December 5,” locals said.

In its supervision, the DEO found that more than 18 students were from boarding schools.

Refuting the allegations, Ramchandra Mandal, assistant head teacher of the school said students from the boarding schools were admitted to their school as their parents were tempted with scholarships and breakfast that the school provides.

source: The Himalayan Times,13 Dec 2012