The Saraswati Primary School located in Simle of Baglung-5 is on the verge of shutting down. Similarly, over a dozen schools including Sharada Primary School of Narayansthan, Shiva Primary School of Dudilabhati, Paropakar Primary School of Resh have witnessed a sharp drop in number of students. They have lost nearly 80 percent students. [break]
Even in the district headquarters, the Bidyamandir Higher Secondary School, Bal Mandir Primary School and Dhabi Secondary School have very few students in the primary level.
Though the attendance register of Saraswati Primary School at Simle shows 10 students, only five of them are attending classes. There is just one student in the fourth grade, two in third grade, two in the second grade and five in the first grade.
School principal Dhan Kumari Regmi said such poor number of students in the classes is a result of outflow of students to private schools.
“Students left for boarding schools. It is becoming increasingly difficult to run the school,” Regmi said. Last year, 28 students from the school switched to boarding schools. During the conflict when Maoists shut down private schools, there were 150 students in the school, according to Regmi.
Parents say that though the community schools are accessibly located and affordable, they send their children to boarding schools for good education.
“Even teachers of community schools have sent their children to boarding schools,” said Narayan Sharma, a local.
Even students attending the school are not satisfied. Dhanmaya Kisan, a fourth grader, said attending classes alone is boring. “I don´t have classmates. I don´t feel like studying,” she said. Kisan is the only student in the fourth grade.
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