In the village, there is a dilapidated building resembling a dark, creepy hut. It is located at a distance from the village just like a forgotten house in the wilderness. The walls of the building are made of mud and even that has eroded away. The roof made of tin sheets flutters in the wind and rainwater drips directly into the building through the holes. The leaking water poses a problem to anyone inside the building. This can hardly be considered a proper house or school.
This rundown structure is the Sagarmatha Basic School situated in Mumra Ward No. 9 of Sannitriveni Rural Municipality, Kalikot. It offers education up to Grade 3 and has a total of 124 students. There are three rooms in the building one serves as an office and the other two are used for teaching students of Grade 2 and Grade 3. The younger students of pre-primary and Grade 1 study under the open sky exposed to the weather conditions. There is no proper fencing around the school premises leaving the students vulnerable to various risks.
Moreover the building lacks proper walls and windows. The floor is muddy and the classrooms flood when it rains heavily leading to the school being closed on many occasions. The principal of the school Neelbahadur Keshi laments the situation to the local leaders including the Rural Municipality Chairman Mahesh Keshi and Provincial Parliament Member Hikmatbahadur Vishwakarma but no concrete plans or budget allocations have been made for the construction of a new building.
The situation is not any better in Bhawani Basic School situated in Palanta Rural Municipality-3 which is even worse than the previous school. The building is on the verge of collapsing and there is no proper boundary or fence. The classrooms are open from all sides and they lack doors and proper ventilation. The students have to study amidst the dust and debris making their education experience very challenging.
Unfortunately both of these schools seem to have escaped the attention of the government from the local level to the federal level. Despite promises from politicians during election campaigns no action has been taken to improve the physical infrastructure of these schools. The school authorities and teachers are left to struggle and make do with whatever they have.
These tales illustrate the appalling state of education in rural places where inadequate infrastructure makes it difficult for kids to learn successfully. To guarantee a better future for these kids the government must prioritize and fund education.
The condition of Jagatmala Secondary School in Muguko Rural Municipality-10 is similar to that of many other schools in the Karnali region, including Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, Dolpa, and other remote districts. The school was established in 2062 BS (2005 AD) and is still operating in a risky building made of mud. Students study in this vulnerable structure risking their lives. The headmaster of the school Mr. Nadjit Mall states that they have been requesting the Rural Municipality and the Provincial Government for funds to construct a new building every year but their pleas have not been fulfilled.
Due to the lack of proper buildings the school faces various challenges especially during the rainy season when water seeps into the classrooms. The principal stresses the need of using plastic sheets and umbrellas to shield student copies and books from water damage.
According to education officer Balveer Sunar from the Ministry of Social Development of the Province there are more than a thousand schools in Karnali, out of which around 400 are government schools and over 600 are community schools. Many community schools lack proper infrastructure including buildings, toilets for students and sports fields. The government has initiated a program to construct buildings in some schools, but due to limited funds and political and administrative issues many schools still remain deprived of proper facilities.
Additionally more than 1800 schools in Karnali do not have separate toilets for boys and girls and more than 2500 schools lack facilities for differently abled students. Moreover over 1,500 schools lack sports fields and around 500 schools have inadequate sanitation facilities. Efforts are being made to construct new buildings with better facilities but there is a need for comprehensive disaster preparedness plans policies, and strategies to mitigate earthquake risks in the region.
Heerasingh Thapa a social activist from Karnali points out that many schools in the region especially in the districts of Dailekh, Salyan, Surkhet, Kalikot, Humla, Mugu, and Jajarkot, are at high risk of earthquakes. Most of these schools have outdated and poorly constructed buildings. To address the earthquake risks short-term medium-term and long-term action plans need to be formulated and implemented but unfortunately such policy measures are currently lacking in Karnali.
In conclusion the education infrastructure in Karnali including Muguko Rural Municipality faces numerous challenges particularly with inadequate and risky school buildings. There is a pressing need for increased funding, proper disaster risk reduction plans, and comprehensive policies to improve the education system and safety of students in the region.
According to the student leader Ashish Devkota most schools in the Karnali region are operated in precarious physical conditions. He claims that schools in remote areas like Humla, Mugu, Kalikot, and Dolpa lack proper attention from the government due to geographical and political reasons resulting in inadequate funding. When someone from the local government becomes the head of the village or holds positions as chief minister and minister in the district they tend to allocate more government budgets to their own district leading to divisive behavior among the citizens.
Although federalism was supposed to bring Singha Durbar (central government) closer to the villages and fulfill the needs of the people it has not been effectively implemented at the local level. Devkota expresses concern that those who have access to power tend to ignore the problems faced by citizens who do not have the same privileges.
Schools in the Karnali region are susceptible to landslides and floods in addition to seismic risk. From 2011 to 2020, the area had major economic losses in the billions of rupees due to floods and landslides. One of the main places these natural catastrophes affect is schools.
Krishna Bahadur Ghimire the Minister of Internal Affairs and Law of Karnali Pradesh emphasized the responsibility of the local government in solving the problems of primary education. He mentioned the government’s plan to construct one school building in each electoral area every year. However due to geographical difficulties and budget constraints it is not feasible to construct all school buildings simultaneously leading to delayed development.
Traditional teaching methods and the operation of schools in traditional structures with overcrowded classrooms are common in Karnali. Small classrooms accommodate around 50 to 70 students. Most schools lack basic facilities like desks benches sanitation and playgrounds. Educational expert Pitambar Dhakal mentions that around 90% of schools in Karnali do not have minimum facilities. The lack of alternatives forces students to study in un safe and uncomfortable conditions. Moreover most schools also lack subject-specific teachers.
Mamata Adhikari the student leader raised concerns about the constitutional provision of free education up to the secondary level not being fully implemented in Karnali. Despite the provision many students still have to pay monthly fees and in some cases teachers themselves charge students for meals that the government is supposed to provide. Many private schools operate in Karnali which creates disparities in the quality of education. The lack of sufficient teachers adequate infrastructure and child-friendly environments in schools further contribute to the substandard education and living standards of Karnali residents.
Overall Karnali faces significant challenges in providing quality education to its students. The region’s geographical remoteness political issues and lack of proper funding are hindering the development of education in the area.
Efforts from both the local and federal governments are required to address these issues and improve the education system and living conditions for the people of Karnali.
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