Students forced to take exams in the open

By Sher Bahadur Sarki,Bajura, Mar. 25: Tribhuvaneshwori Secondary School in Ward No. 2 of Triveni Municipality in Bajura district is now conducting the annual examinations of grade five and eight in the open.

According to the school administration, they have to conduct the exams in the open in lack of adequate classrooms. 

"We have a large number of students in our school, and it is increasing every year. We have not enough safe rooms even to run regular classes, not to talk about conducting examinations," said Prem Lal Joshi, headmaster of the school.

The 2015 earthquake had developed cracks in the school building making several of its rooms unsuitable and risky to conduct classes. Moreover, an earthquake that hit Bajura district on January 24 this year had further affected the building.

"The students were taking classes in rooms with some cracks until two months ago, but they have denied entering the risky rooms after the recent earthquake. We also cannot force the students when the building is at risk of falling," said Joshi.

The school administration also informed that they had drawn the attention of the concerned authorities,  but in vain.

"The number of students has been increasing annually. However, we lack proper infrastructure to provide quality education to the backbone of our country," said Joshi.

Last year, more than 650 new students got admission in the school. The number is expected to increase further in the new academic session.

"We cannot accommodate them in the available rooms. With no other option left, we have been taking examinations in the open braving the scorching heat," said Parbati Budha, an eighth grader at the school.

According to Budha, the weather condition also makes it difficult to take the examinations in the open.

Established in 1959 as a primary school, Tribhuvaneshwori Secondary School has now 17 teachers and three employees including an accountant and two helpers, and runs classes from grade 1 to 12. However, the school lacks proper infrastructure.

Capability of school manpower to provide quality education is what has made it more attractive among the students; however, guardians and students said that the school always lacked proper infrastructure.

"Many new students join our school every year. But we lack enough space to run classes. 

Moreover, when it rains, classes become uncertain," said Puja Chandar, a tenth grader at the school.

Chandar also informed that she had seen several schools in the municipality being repaired and reconstructed in the recent years, but she did not know why the concerned authorities were not paying attention to the condition of her school buildings.

"We know the situation of the school. We need money to construct a proper building. We have requested the National Planning Commission for necessary support regarding infrastructure for Tribhvaneshwori Secondary School," said Karna Bahadur Thapa, Mayor of Triveni Municipality.