Ten years ago, in the remote village municipality-9 of Kavrepalanchok, Kusheshwor Secondary School faced challenges as it served around three hundred students. Looking ahead to the present, despite the school's establishment in 2015 and enhanced infrastructure, there has been a notable decrease in student enrollment.
Former student, Binay Bahadur Shrestha, hailing from Temal municipality, reminisces, "During our time, with 1300-1400 students, makeshift classrooms were our learning spaces. The current building is spacious, but the number of students has dwindled."
A contributing factor to this decline is the difficult journey some students undertake, walking up to three hours from their remote villages to reach the school. Despite the challenges, committed parents accompany their children to urban areas, where they hope to provide better educational opportunities. Some families even opt to rent accommodation in the city while periodically working in the village fields.
Principal Damai Singh Dong has been working tirelessly to enhance the school's quality. However, the migration of residents from the village has had a direct impact on student numbers. Since he assumed the role of principal in 2073, the school has seen a remarkable decrease in its student population – from 1,000 to a mere 273. Shockingly, in grades 11 and 12, there are only 27 students, as per the latest school census.
With 24 staff members, including teachers, a nurse, and office assistants, the school relies on minimal funds provided by the municipality for maintenance and social audits. Interestingly, the teachers under contract benefit from the interest accrued on the school's savings account, creating a unique financial support structure.
Despite the challenges, the school has managed to adapt to its circumstances. Internal appointments are made promptly if a teaching position becomes vacant, ensuring that students' education remains uninterrupted.
Recent findings from the National Statistics Office highlight a broader national trend. Urbanization in Nepal has surged from 22.31% to 27.07% between the censuses of 2068 and 2078, while the rural population has decreased from 38.05% to 33.19%. This shift in demographics underscores the challenges faced by rural schools as parents migrate to urban centers or abroad, resulting in a dwindling student population.
Dil Bahadur Thokar, Chairman of the Kusheshwor School Management Committee, expresses concern over the decline in student numbers. He attributes the trend to the perceived lack of quality education in rural areas and emphasizes the urgent need for effective management to reassure parents and reverse the current trajectory.
The response from Chairman Thokar, when asked about plans to provide accommodation for students in the village, indicated that the school is considering the implementation of residential classes starting from grade 8 and above. These classes are planned to operate in the nearest school bus stations throughout the valley. Additionally, he highlighted that the school is gearing up to introduce additional subjects like science, management, and law in classes 11 and 12, starting from the academic year 2082 B.S.
Eight years ago, Narayansthan Secondary School in Ward 5 of Temal Rural Municipality had four hundred students. Presently, the total student count from primary to grade 12 is 240. Principal Kali Das Dahal noted that parents are drawn to urban centers in search of opportunities. The school offers scholarships to outstanding students in grades 11 and 12 across all subjects and provides free textbooks to high-achieving students.
Similarly, Janajyoti Secondary School in Ward 8, Bhonryang, currently has 159 students, a decrease from three to four hundred students five to six years ago. Principal Bhanubhakta Mainali attributed the decline to the perceived quality of education and the pursuit of employment opportunities. Many teachers in community schools are also sending their children to study in private schools or in Kathmandu. The lack of private schools in the municipality poses challenges for students to access quality education, as all schools in the area are community schools.
According to Temal Rural Municipality spokesperson Indra Lal Tamang, there are ten secondary schools in the municipality, with five offering classes from 11 to 12, totaling around three thousand two hundred students. The literacy rate in the village is 95.97%, and the population of the rural municipality is decreasing. Tamang emphasized the need for community awareness of the importance of education, even as the number of students in rural schools decreases.
Tamang explained that the decrease in students attending schools in the municipality is due to increased parental awareness about education. Many students now travel to urban areas for education, especially for employment opportunities. He highlighted the prevalent mindset among parents, even teachers, that whether the child studies or not, they will succeed, leading to a decline in enrollment in village schools.
Tamang further mentioned that the village municipality has introduced special packages to encourage students to stay and continue their education. In Namobuddha, Kavrepalanchok, the municipality sponsors two seats in the Science stream of classes 11 and 12 in the residential school, allowing high-performing students to pursue their studies there. The village municipality is actively monitoring and simplifying processes, including subjects, to create awareness among parents about education.
In the policy and program for the current financial year presented by rural municipality Chairman Chandra Bahadur Tamang, there is a plan to connect education with real-life needs and develop a model school with a skill-based curriculum. The aim is to establish the rural municipality as the best educational destination. The rural municipality has initiated programs such as managing electronic attendance, expanding school infrastructure, health services, sanitation, and water supply, and encouraging English medium instruction. The implementation of an educational management information system is also mentioned for effective use in curriculum development, teaching and learning management, extracurricular activity management, educational calendar management, resource management, communication between school and parents, and online teaching and learning, as well as documentation for transforming the educational system in line with policies and programs.
