While the school enrolment campaign is in full swing across the country, around 250 students of Himal Primary School at Singol VDC in Bara district are forced to study in a single classroom.

Though more than 50 children from the surrounding villages need to be enrolled, Principal Hariraj Khadka said, the school is not in a position to admit all of them owing to the lack of space. The school runs classes from grade I to IV.

Located on the border of Makawanpur and Rautahat districts, the school provides education to children mostly from Tamang and Dalit communities at Rajuwa and Hadi villages in Makawanpur, Pipaltar in Bara and Bholantar in Rautahat.

The students come with planks and straw mats to classes as there are no desks and benches. Besides, the school is facing a shortage of teachers. Currently, three teachers are voluntarily working at the school.

Although people and other stakeholders have asked their respective District Development Committees and District Education Offices to construct a building and provide teachers’ quotas, their demands are yet to be addressed.

Narayan Timalsina of the bordering Dhiyal VDC in Makawanpur said they have taken initiatives to construct a building and create teacher’s posts at the school.

source: The Kathmandu Post,22 April 2012