Scores of children in Surkhet left out of National School Enrollment Campaign

Surkhet – The nationwide school enrollment campaign launched by the government with the slogan of "our collective desire, free, fair and basic education" is about to conclude. 

The campaign launched coinciding with the new academic session with the objective of increasing the net enrollment rate to 97.2 percent has been in force since April 15 and is concluding tomorrow. 

However, the campaign has failed to address those hundreds of students wishing to get enrollment at schools based in Birendranagar of Surkhet. New academic session has already begun in schools across the country except in the mountainous region, but a large number of children have been deprived of admission to schools based in the Birendranagar Valley. 

Community-based schools having good reputations in Birendranagar, the provisional headquarter of Karnali Province (Province 6) have not entertained the idea of welcoming more and more children to schools.

 
They are accused of trying to escape from their responsibilities to facilitate newcomers arrived seeking admission, thus forcing them to stay out of schools.

They are disappointed by cold response from schools. Students quitting private schools for enrollment at community schools and children arrived here from other districts with the hope of getting better education have been stranded with schools' cold response. 

Jana Higher Secondary School, Amar Jyoti Secondary School (Neware), and Itram Secondary School are among those community schools with good reputations here. 

According to Karnali Province Social Development Ministry, School Education Section's section officer, Suwarna Khadka, the Surkhet has 484 schools and the Birendranagar Municipality is home to 11 community schools.

He said teacher-students ratio is higher in the community schools and the Ministry is working to address the issue. 

Number of students enrolled in the schools is said to have increased in the current fiscal year, but there is no accurate data in the present condition. 

While carrying out deep study regarding this situation, some schools see high number of students seeking admission while other schools see very minimal number of such students. Appropriate management, quality education and excellent human resources production are some reasons behind increasing flow of students for admission at some government schools, but most of the government schools are found neglecting such issues. 

A local Himal Neupane expressed concern that the guardians, who took out their children from schools for their inability to face the burden of expensive fees, have not been successful to get their children admitted in good government schools. 

Maniram Lamichhane, a teacher of Jana Secondary School, said that out of 1,300 students who attended the entrance exam, only 400 students got chance to get admission in the school. 

Similarly, Khagendra Thapa, Principal of Amarjyoti Secondary School, Neware, said that out of 500 students seated for entrance exam, only 200 students got admission in lack of physical infrastructures. 

Information Officer at Sri Krishna and General Secondary School, Itram, Surkhet, said that number of students getting admission in basic level has increased remarkably as compared to secondary level. 
He said, "Expensive fee of private schools and Surkhet as capital of Karnali province are some of the reasons behind it." 

Discrimination also at government schools 
Article 31 of the Constitution of Nepal, 2072 (part-3) guarantees free education up to secondary level. On the contrary, government schools are fleecing parents by charging anything between Rs 1,500 and Rs 3,000 each student a month in the name of teaching English. Those who take classes in Nepali medium are charged Rs 200 each a month. 

As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for poor parents to enroll their children in government schools. 
Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development of Karnali Province Girija Sharma said the Ministry is concerned with the existing situation of government schools and children's deprivation of enrolment in them. He also assured of a solution to this problem. 

Urban Education Chief of Birendranagar Municipality Gajendra GC said there is a policy that government schools first prioritise children within local areas, and children of school staffers. 
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