Rupandehi:Free and Compulsory Basic Education Programme launched in five VDCs in the district last year with a view to providing children with access to education has failed to yield expected result.

Launched by the government as a pilot study in Shankarnagar, Saljhandi, Siktahan, Padsari and Kerabani, the programme aims at bringing all the children to school by 2015 across the country. But, according to a data, around five percent children in the VDCs are still deprived of education. Lack of cooperation by concerned schools and stakeholders, delay in the implementation of the programme and lack of monitoring by the District Education Office are to blame for the situation. “Lack of child friendly academic environment is one of the factors, which discourages dropout student to join school again,” said District Education Officer Jhum Prasad Rai.

As part of the programme, school materials such as uniforms and exercise books were distributed among children.

source: The Kathmandu Post, 15 April 2012