KALIKOT, June 16: In recent years, there has been an increasing attraction among students towards community schools. The attraction of students has increased after non-governmental organizations (NGOs) started conducting various awareness campaigns.

The Child Marriage, Quick Marriage, Forced Marriage Minimization Project conducted in partnership with Plan International Nepal's financial support and Human Rights and Environmental Development Center Hurendek Nepal to regularize the students of Rama High School of Narharinath Rural Municipality-3 and Badimalika High School of Raskot Municipality has increased the attraction of students in schools.

In Narahari Nath Rural Municipality-3 of the district, in Badimalika Municipality-2, Plan International in collaboration with the Human Rights and Environment Development Center, has implemented projects to regularize students in schools. These projects, focused on eliminating child marriage, early marriage, and reducing dropout rates, have increased the attraction of students in the schools.

The students who have stayed at home by leaving school have been attracted and returned to school by the awareness programs conducted in the community. Currently, even parents themselves have started enrolling their sons and daughters in schools. Two boys who have been left out due to the poor  financial condition of the household and being trapped in domestic responsibilities, from Narahari Nath Rural Municipality, have been admitted to the school, although they have exceeded their age of going to school.

Under the Student Enrollment Campaign 2080 BS, Jharana BK and Rajpura BK, who were out of school in Narahari Nath Rural Municipality-3, have been admitted to the Rama Secondary School, according to the information provided by the facilitator Basanti Budha, under the Center for Human Rights and Environment Development Centre.

After admitting the two girls to the school, they requested support for enrolling students who are out of school and students who have dropped out of school, just like them. They initiated the enrollment campaign with a focus on students who haven't been able to attend school due to poverty.

The government has introduced various programs in community schools to attract students, ranging from free enrollment to providing free textbooks, scholarships, and mid-day meals. Ensuring access to education for all children and making education compulsory and free until the secondary level is mandated by the government through the implementation of the Compulsory and Free Education Act 2075 BS.

Principal Pushpa Raj Baral said that this program has increased the number of students enrolled in Badimalika Secondary School in Raskot municipality of the district. He said that students are more attracted to the school now than in previous years. They used to come from Dailekh, Surkhet to study in the school. We have also started teaching in English medium schools.

Although the local level has been given the responsibility of supervising school education, they have not been able to pay attention to improving education and increasing the number of students. Many students who have attained higher education have migrated abroad and the low birth rates are also factors in the decline of students in public schools. The awareness of quality education and parental involvement can contribute to increasing student attraction along with regular classroom sessions.

Even now, most of the students of Kalikot district are not able to go to school due to economic hardships and the marginalization of Dalit communities. Despite efforts to promote traditional occupations, some students still have to drop out of school.

 
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