Recent observations in Baglung indicate a decline in the number of students attending community schools. This shift has prompted local educators and stakeholders to take action to address the situation. With population growth and a push towards institutional education, community schools face challenges in attracting and retaining students.
To counteract this trend, several community schools in the Baglung area have initiated door-to-door campaigns to increase student enrollment. The campaigns aim not only to increase student numbers but also to dispel misconceptions among parents about the quality of education provided by community schools.
Ram-Rekha Primary School, situated in Baglung Municipality-1, has been conducting a week-long door-to-door campaign, while other schools, such as Vidhyamandir Secondary School and Sigana Secondary School, have also launched similar initiatives in their respective areas.
Vishnu Raj Paudel, a teacher at Ram-Rekha Primary School, emphasized the importance of communicating the quality of education offered by community schools to parents. He highlighted the efforts of Ojhelama Community School in Baglung Bazaar, which has been conducting a comprehensive campaign to increase enrollment and improve educational standards.
Paudel stated, "Our school, with 17 students, including 14 with disabilities, aims to enroll 200 more students after the door-to-door campaign. Since the school has started purchasing school uniforms, it will be easier to attract students from the surrounding areas."
The door-to-door campaigns have proven effective in changing parents' perceptions towards community schools. Ganesh Majhi, a resident, stressed the need to provide transportation facilities to ensure access to education for children from marginalized and labor communities.
Additionally, Ram-Rekha Primary School has introduced various initiatives to attract parents, such as English-medium education, school uniform distribution, and the establishment of digital boards, labs, computer education, and children's parks.
Babulal Shakya, chairman of the school management committee, affirmed the school's commitment to academic excellence. He stated, "While many students in the district prefer institutional schools, our community school stands out. We're constantly striving for academic excellence. When other campaigns are launched, we'll also participate. We're committed to maintaining educational standards."
Other community schools in Baglung have similarly launched various initiatives and door-to-door campaigns to attract students and engage parents in the education process.
