Similarly, Rishi Ram Pokhrel, 35, isn´t hesitant to study with his sister, Sarswati in the same class. Neither does he feel uncomfortable asking things he doesn´t know with his sister. [break]“We had to face many difficulties due to lack of education. That´s why I started to read. Why should I feel embarrassed to sit next to my younger sister,” Pokhrel said.
Shyam Bahadur Khadka, elder to Pokhrel by five years is engrossed in studies. In order to learn things that he doesn´t know, he goes to a teacher´s home for tuition. Like the three, Raj Kumar Chepang, 35, Tirtha Pariyar, 31, also decided to complete their School Level Certificate (SLC).
“Neither our grandparents, nor our parents went to school. Since our fathers didn´t study, we too were barred from the opportunity. I enrolled myself in the school so that our children learn the importance of education,” Dil Bahadur, the eldest of all said. Sewing clothes in his free time, he supports both his and his son´s education.
“When I went to a lawyer at Bharatpur to write an application, he charged me 500 rupees. I had to seek him because I hadn´t studied. Upon knowing that small application writing costs 500 rupees, I realized the importance of education,” Rishi Ram said.
“They fearlessly ask questions, and as a result, other students too have started to imitate them,” Prem Prasad Dhakal, a teacher said. Dhakal said that compared to small students, elder ones are hard to be taught. However, despite the difficulty teachers are doing their best and students are doing well in their studies. The elder students are regular at school.
“We are also inviting women for study,” Kadka said. Teachers opine that since most of the elderly are school dropouts, they can be taught. “I had learnt grammar, mathematics and English earlier. When we don´t study, we tend to forget. However, now that I´m studying, I´m recalling things learnt,” Pokhrel said.
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