Storm damages school building, classes held in open sky

Pratik Ichchhuk Sharma, Salyan, June 10: Students at Gayatri Basic School in Gadapani, of Kapurkot Rural Municipality-4, Salyan, have been forced to study in the open sky after strong winds blew away the school’s roof.

According to the school, strong winds accompanied by rain on Saturday afternoon ripped off the corrugated metal roof and carried it around 80 metres away. One of the damaged rooms had been used for Grade 8 classes, while the other served as a library.

As the building can no longer be used, nine Grade 8 students and 12 Grade 2 students are currently being taught outdoors, said the school’s principal, Hasta Bahadur Budha. He added that an application has been submitted to the rural municipality for repairs.

“There is a shortage of classrooms to conduct teaching and learning activities,” he said. The school, which provides education up to Grade 8, currently has 108 students enrolled.

Meanwhile, on May 3, the roof of a four-room building at Laxmi Basic School in Malneta, of Sharda Municipality-14, was also blown away by strong winds. The building has still not been repaired, affecting teaching activities.

According to the school principal, Resham Giri, due to a shortage of classrooms, students in Grades 1, 2 and 3 are being taught together in a single room. A technical assessment by the municipality estimated damage to the school worth more than Rs. 300,000.

Chief of the Education Development and Coordination Unit in Salyan, Sher Bahadur Roka, said that most school buildings in the district are old and dilapidated, making them more vulnerable to storm damage. 

He stressed the need for regular maintenance and stronger infrastructure for school buildings.

Every year, storms and rainfall damage schools and other structures in Salyan. Stakeholders have emphasised the need to prioritise students’ safety and ensure the timely repair and management of school buildings.

Photo Caption: Gayatri Basic School in Gadapani, Kapurkot-4, after its roof was blown off