"When I passed the SLC exams, it was practically not possible for me to go elsewhere for higher education," says Thapa. Now 40, Thapa has enrolled herself in the eleventh grade. It is not that Thapa joined higher secondary school somewhere else but a local secondary school, Khadgadevi Higher Secondary School, has recently been upgraded into a higher secondary school.[break]
Many villagers like Thapa, who could not continue their study just because they could not go elsewhere after passing the tenth grade can now pursue their higher secondary education in their own village.
As their years of struggle for getting funds from the government to set up a higher secondary school in their own village bore no fruit, the locals of Daga Tandada VDC established a higher secondary school on their own. They collected Rs 8.5 million through donations and upgraded the school into a higher secondary school.
"We started collecting money after the government turned a deaf ear to our demand," says Bed Prasad Pokharel, principal of Daga Tandada VDC´s first higher secondary school. "Now our students do not have to go elsewhere for higher secondary education. They can study in their own village."
As Baglung´s Righa VDC, which is adjacent to Daga Tandada, also lacks a higher secondary school, students wishing to continue their studies after the tenth grade had no other option but to go to Bami of Gulmi district, which is a three-hour walk away. Now, students of Righa come to Daga Tandada.
As the children of well-to-do locals could go to towns for higher education even when Daga Tandada lacked a higher secondary school, especially those villagers who are unable to afford to send their children away have donated for the higher secondary school. "Even those who find it very hard to manage two square meals donated money for the school," says Pokhrel. "People have donated money ranging from Rs 1,000 to more than Rs 200,000."
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