Less than 20 students in 80 community schools

Babiyachaur (Myagdi), Dec 18: The community schools in Myagdi are facing an existential crisis in the backdrop of declining number of students and failure to merge the schools that are geographically isolated.

At present, Myagdi's 80 community schools' primary levels have less than 20 students. Although plans are being made to merge the schools reeling from less number of students, lack of proper physical infrastructure and geographical remoteness, it is yet to materialize.

Around a dozen schools were merged, but still 80 more are functioning with very less number of students, District Education Officer, Ram Kumar Shrestha shared. There are a total of 233 schools in the district.

Many schools have more classrooms than the students, but still they are not being merged due to geographical remoteness. There is a single teacher for three students at Shanti Kalika Primary School, which runs classes up to Grade 3, at Thawan of Ramche. The Chandra Primary School located at Mahavir of Ramche has three teachers for six students while Dhaulagiri Primary School at Narchyang is running with three teachers and seven students.

The rural villages are getting vacated as most of the villagers have chosen to migrate. Many of the villagers have chosen to migrate to cities after becoming economically sound with income generated through foreign employments. This is having a direct impact on the schools.

Moreover, the community schools do not have adequate official posts for teachers which has compelled the villagers to raise funds to run the schools. According to the District Education Office, 20 schools of Myagdi have no official posts for 19 teachers in the elementary level and nine in the primary level.

The community schools operating from local resources do not have teachers for English, mathematics and science subjects. On the other hand, the District Education Committee has remained incomplete for the last four years.