Sanskar Gurukul, situated in Bode Sintitar under Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, has provided quality education in a picturesque setting with a cultural touch for the last four years. With a significant investment, the school accommodates students from Nursery to Grade 8 and is now expanding to include Grade 9 starting this academic year. Despite its commendable attributes, approximately three hundred students attend classes without proper registration.
The future of these students is a cause for concern, as the responsibility for potential issues remains unclear. Whether the school administration, educational oversight bodies, the municipality responsible for school registration, or the parents themselves seem unaware of the situation, the apprehension revolves around the fate of students currently enrolled in unauthorized classes.
Sanskar Gurukul, extending its services from Nursery to Grade 9, is just one example. In Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, more than a hundred schools operate without proper registration, adopting names like Montessori and Play Group. Astonishingly, there are over three hundred unregistered schools across the four municipalities in the district, and the responsible authorities, the municipalities, are seemingly oblivious to this issue.
Mayor Surendra Shrestha of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality has initiated school monitoring, acknowledging the necessity of the process. Despite gathering information about numerous schools operating under the Montessori banner, he concedes that commencing the monitoring process is imperative. According to the Education Act, Shrestha underscores the mandatory requirement for proper agreements between neighboring schools. However, the municipality's inability to regulate and monitor unregistered schools is a concern raised by Surendra Shrestha, the chairman of Bhaktapur's Private and Boarding Schools Organization (PABSON). He asserts, "Many schools in the district use the Montessori name, enrolling students up to Grade 5. Taking action against unauthorized schools, ensuring adherence to proper procedures, and obtaining permission for operation appear challenging. Local authorities are neglectful, posing a risk to the students' future."
Similarly, in Suryabinayak Municipality and Changunarayan Municipality, unregistered schools operate under the names of Montessori and Preschool. Despite this, the municipalities acknowledge their inability to conduct monitoring and take necessary actions. The statement from the chairman of the Education Department of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, "Keep the school running; we will jointly register it," reflects the lack of control and monitoring by the Education Department.
