Janakalyan Secondary School, located in Boudha, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, has already had 800 new student applicants before the admission campaign is completed, despite having the capacity to only accommodate an additional 250 students. “This year we have the capacity to admit 250 students, but 800 students have applied,” said school principal Manju Magrati. “Last semester we had a total of 2,448 students, of which 160 took the SEE exam. Priority will be given to those who apply first.”
Koteshwor Saraswati Secondary School can accommodate only 1000 students, but more than 500 new students had already applied by 11 am on Friday, said school principal Pushpa Raj Kunwar. He noted that the arrival of new applicants continues.
Since the admission campaign began at Shivapuri Secondary School, Maharajgunj, around two people are applying per day. Some classes are already at capacity. Because full-time students remain enrolled, the school admits between 100-150 new students each year.
Geetamata Secondary School Principal Hari Krishna Shrestha said the school had planned to admit 400 new students this year, but this number is likely to increase during the admission period.
Ward No. 27 Chairman Yogesh Kumar Khadgi said it was difficult to admit all students who wanted to study in Durbar High School. He states “It is difficult for us to accept all students who apply to Durbar High School.”
Gyanodaya Secondary School distributed 1,850 admission forms. Giving information about new admissions, Principal Vishnu Ghimire Rimal said “We can admit 550 new students. Parents are demanding admissions by any means possible. It is a difficult situation to manage.”
Similarly, Viswa Niketan Secondary School in Tripureshwor has received over 2,000 admission applications but only has the capacity to enroll 400 new students. Last year, the school’s student population was 4,300.
The Metropolitan Education Department has reported that there is an excessive pressure of admissions in schools including Shivapuri Secondary School, Pashupati Mitra Secondary School, Durbar High School (Bhanu Secondary School), RatnaRajya Secondary School, Viswa Niketan Secondary School, Gyanodaya Secondary School, Geetamata Secondary School, and Koteshwor Saraswati Secondary School.
Besides these, the department has reported several other schools also have more admission applicants than the capacity of the school. Whereas, according to the department, the number of student applicants in some school is very low.
The department has informed that elected representatives are also participating in door-to-door programs with teachers for student enrollment campaign today and are urging parents to enroll their children in the nearest community school.
Community schools in the region are not competing with institutional schools, but are leading the way in terms of physical availability of infrastructure, resources and equipment and quality educational activities through teacher training, said Nhuchhe Kaji Maharjan, Ward No. 18 Chairperson. Schools teach not only education but also skills. Early childhood development classes created a child-friendly environment, and integrated learning and skills-in-teaching programs expanded students' learning horizons, she said.
There are 87 community schools within the district with the capacity to educate approximately 47,694 students from early childhood development through grade 10. There are a total of 89 community schools, but with two being rebuilt, only 87 can accept students. Of these, three are within the prison. There are four special schools, one night school, and one Sanskrit school. Evening and Sanskrit schools are open from grade 6 onwards.
In the academic year 2079/80 around 40,000 students studied in these schools. This year, through infrastructure and human resource management, the ministry said it will be able to admit 12,080 additional students, including 5,514 in early childhood development classes and 6,566 in grades 1 to 9.
In community schools, the 'Bookless Friday' program was launched for students in early childhood development classes through third grade to promote integrated learning. Creative learning activities are conducted from grades 4 to 8, and technology in education programs are held regularly in grades 9 and 10.
The department claims that, with the start of information technology-based educational activities using smart boards in classrooms, the number of students could increase further.
