Due to his weak financial condition, Siriya has not bought warm clothes for his family members. Amit does not even have proper school dress. "I have not been able to buy new school dress or sweater for him. In fact, due to this factor, he has been quite irregular to school since the beginning of this winter," the helpless father revealed.
Siriya is a labor. However, his dream to educate kids and see them touching the sky of success one day is no less strong than that of prosperous parents. Central Tarai region is disturbed since the last four months following agitation by Madhesi Morcha. Siriya's son's school which was unable to operate due to the unrest opened up recently after the Morcha allowed them to open schools. However, this came with a condition: the schools can open only in the morning hours. Such a rider has put parents into worry and created worries for the children.
"I secured admission for my son in school by working hard because I want to see him become a learned man and live a dignified life. But his schooling is not going on smoothly though I have done everything I could," he said. "Now, even though they have let the schools open, my son does not want to go school. It's too early for him to wake up and more than that it is very cold to get out."
Siriya worries that his son might catch old and fall sick if he sends him to school forcefully in early morning. And the cost needed for treatment is something Siriya cannot afford. "If I don't send him to school, I worry about his future. If I do, I am afraid that he might fall ill and with my present condition it is very hard for me to afford the treatment cost," he said.
Siriya represents an ordinary Madhesi in the region for whom the agitation is said to have been launched, stated Bishnu Chaudhari, principal of Ganesh Primary School in Jaleshwor where Siriya's son studies. "This is a common story. Parents pay for the kids' education by compromising their meal. Yet, things hardly support them," he said.
Laxmi Kumari Mahato, Ranjana Kumari Mahato, Aachal Kumari Mahato and Rajan Kumari Mahato, among several other classmates of Amit are missing in class these days. The principal Chaudhari informed that only 8 to 10 kids of class one have been coming to school whereas the total number of students in the class is 42. "Few children are coming to school. It's just same in other classes as well," he said.
Chaudhari further claimed that the problem is however only for the kids belonging to the poor class. The children of powerful people or politicians are kept in costly boarding schools where smooth education is ensured. "The hardest hit are poor ones as they get minimum facilities. Our children are largely absent due to the lack of warm sweaters," he said adding that the Morcha's decision to let schools open in morning during winter is as worst as its earlier decision to shut them down. "Morning classes cannot be effective at all, what's the use of opening schools when even 50 percent students are not being able to attend?" he questioned.
According to Rina Paswan, principal of Lachamu Higher Secondary School in Jaleshwor, small children who are coming to school these days have are catching cold. "Few students are coming to schools and in addition, they are falling sick. In classroom, they cry and some begin to sleep right there," she said.
Sakesh Shah, heath staff at Jaleshwar District Hospital meanwhile stated that growing number of children are coming to hospital due to cold related ailments. "In such situation, it's important to keep children warm," he said.
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