A majority of schools in Choser, Chonhup, Lomanthang, Surkhang, Charang, Chusang and Ghami VDCs have been shut down. Eight schools from these places are running mobile schools in Pokhara. [break]
Bidur Hari Acharya, school inspector at District Education Office, Mustang said that the extremely chilly weather compelled the closure of schools.
He added that the schools had to close down also because most of the families moved to warmer areas along with their children. “The schools were supposed to close down after the examinations in the last week of November, but they were forced to close down due to the dipping temperature.”
The schools which have been running mobile schools in convenient areas are exclusively the ones which have been receiving aid from the government or from the VDCs.
Eight schools at Chonhup, Lomathang and Choser are running mobile schools. Dibyagyan Primary School, Saraswati Primary School, Vrikuti Primary School, Virendra Primary School, Gyanprabhat Primary School and Buddha Primary School, National Lower Secondary School at Lomanthang and Divyadeep Primary School have been running three mobile schools at Lamachaur, Baglung Buspark and Nagdhunga.
District Education Officer Bishnu Prasad Adhikari said that around Rs 300,000 each was granted to two of the mobile schools.
Another mobile school used VDC grant.
About 250 students attend the mobile schools in Pokhara. Food and accommodation for the students have also been arranged by the schools themselves.
Hari Bahadur KC, Principal of Divyajyoti Secondary School said studies would not be hampered as classes would be conducted in Pokhara till the winter vacation begins. “All the students and teachers have been moved to Pokhara already,” he said.
Locals complain that a very limited number of schools are running mobile schools. Pramod Chandra Gurung, a local, said the government needs to take the matter seriously.
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