Local College in Nepal Empowers Hundreds of Married Women to Pursue Higher Education

Sumitra Raut of Surunga Municipality-1, Saptari, was married while studying in the 9th grade. Although she desired to study further, her life took a different turn after marriage. Raut spent about 10 years managing the household chores, farming, and family responsibilities.

During this time, responsibilities overshadowed her desire to study, but the aspiration was not extinguished. She resumed her studies and passed the SLC examination in 2067 BS. Raut's formal education journey did not stop there; after Shishuwari Campus opened near her home, she not only completed 'Plus Two' but also graduated with a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) last year.

“During this period, I worked for various non-governmental organizations, and through this, I understood the importance of formal education. When I was at a lower educational level, I felt deprived of many opportunities. There was no possibility of studying away from home, but it became easier to study after a campus opened near my house,” Raut expressed happily, adding, “Now, if a Master's program is also started here, I wish to take my studies further. I hope to fulfill that dream soon.”

Similarly, the story of Dikura Pokharel is similar. Fifteen years ago, she failed one subject in her final 12th-grade examination at Triyuga Campus in Gaighat, Udayapur. At that time, she got married, and her studies stopped. Later, after Shishuwari Campus opened near her home in Surunga, Pokharel re-passed the 12th grade, completed her Bachelor's degree in Nepali, and has now finished her Master's and is teaching.

Sumitra and Dikura are just representative examples. Since the campus was established in the village, hundreds of daughters-in-law like them have found opportunities here to fulfill their incomplete dreams. This campus, located in Shishuwari, a village on the northwestern border of Saptari, was built through the sweat and donations of the locals. Receiving affiliation from Tribhuvan University on Shrawan 15, 2069 BS, this campus opened the door to higher education. Currently, more than 300 daughters-in-law have graduated, and some have successfully changed their lives by entering the civil service or the teaching profession.

According to Campus Chief Krishna Prasad Timalsina, female students from not only Saptari but also neighboring districts like Siraha, Udayapur, Khotang, Sunsari, and Morang are benefiting. “The village environment, low fees, and safe atmosphere have made this campus like a parental home for daughters-in-law,” he said.

Campus Chief Timalsina further stated that since the fee is set at only Rs 14,000 per year for economically weak families, this campus is about 30 percent cheaper and more accessible than other community campuses. Furthermore, arrangements have been made for extremely destitute students to enroll for free. The quality and affordable education provided by the campus has brought professional change to many lives.

Tuna Maya Magar, who came after marrying from Murkuchi, Udayapur, graduated from here and passed the Teacher Service Commission exam. She is currently a permanent teacher at Janaprabhat Secondary School, Daulatpur. Similarly, Manisha Bik, who studied here two years ago, also passed the Teacher Service Commission and is teaching at Rastriya Primary School.

There is also the story of Prema Thapa Magar. Although she studied Plus Two at Shishuwari Campus, since the Bachelor's level was not operational there at the time, she completed her Bachelor's degree from JS Murarka Multiple Campus in Lahan. “At that time, Bachelor's level studies were not available here, so I had to study away from home. Now, many sisters are able to study in the village, which makes me happy,” she said. “Currently, there is no household in Shishuwari where someone hasn't completed a Bachelor's degree; this is the pride of this campus.”

Karina Kumari Mahato, whose parental home is in Lahan, did not stop studying even after getting married and moving to Shishuwari last year. Currently studying in Class 12, her husband Krishna Mahato, who is working in Saudi Arabia for foreign employment, constantly encourages her. “My farmer parents could not afford to send me away for studies. Now I can study after finishing household chores, and the whole family is happy,” Mahato said.

Shishuwari Campus has not only distributed 'degrees' to the daughters-in-law of Surunga but has also paved a path toward confidence and self-reliance. Those who were limited to being housewives after dropping out midway due to family complications and financial constraints are now dreaming of attaining higher education.

‘Temple of Knowledge’ Built by Donations

This story of change began when the locals started collecting donations to establish a ‘temple of knowledge’ in the village. The campaign started after Ganpatlal Sarada of Lahan donated 21 katthas of land, and local Narayan Prasad Parajuli added land worth approximately Rs 300,000. Other villagers contributed cash ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 51,000 according to their means.

According to the campus accountant Gyanendra Dhamala, cash assistance exceeding Rs 1.7 million was collected from locals over 14 years, which aided the school's development. He stated that the campus has found it easier to provide quality education locally due to the ‘sense of ownership’ among the residents.

Campus Management Committee Chairman and Ward Chairman of Surunga-1, Chhatra Bahadur Raut (Rajkumar), says that the campus has contributed to lighting the lamp of education among the locals despite facing various obstacles. “When I took charge, the building was dilapidated, teachers' salaries had an arrears of nearly two lakh rupees, and there were only 10 students,” he recalled the past. “But a door-to-door campaign conducted without giving up enrolled 52 daughters-in-law in the campus. Even without receiving salaries for months, the teachers did not stop classes, and as a result, today this campus has become first in B.Ed. results in Koshi Province.” This is Raut's third term.

According to Kashi Karki, a student from the first graduating batch of this campus and currently a member of the Management Committee, many students who studied here have entered the civil service of the Government of Nepal and are engaged in national service. In this village, where only basic literacy existed at one time, today almost every household has at least one daughter or daughter-in-law who has passed their Bachelor's degree. “This is the biggest success of this campaign. Currently, classes are being conducted in a concrete building constructed under the Terai Madhes Prosperity Program, and a three-story modern building under construction at a cost of Rs 50 million from the Indian Embassy is scheduled to be inaugurated next Baisakh. These infrastructures will make things even easier,” he said.

This campus, affiliated with Tribhuvan University, offers studies in Education and Management faculties for B.Ed. and Plus Two levels. It also provides basic computer skills and preparation classes for the Teacher Service Commission free of charge. According to Campus Chief Timalsina, there are currently 200 students in Plus Two and 225 students in the Bachelor's program, with a majority being daughters-in-law.

Operated with donations and sacrifices made by the locals, this campus has truly served as a beacon of light in the darkness for the daughters-in-law from poor families. The journey of these daughters-in-law, moving from the smoke of the hearth to higher education, has made Shishuwari not just an educational institution but also a strong center for social change.