17 years on sacks: Dalit Primary School struggles without basic facilities

KATHMANDU: Students of Dalit Primary School in Shitalpur, Phatuwa Bijaypur Municipality-1, have been studying while sitting on sacks for the past 17 years due to a lack of furniture and basic infrastructure.

The school was established in 2007 on 10 dhurs of land donated by local social worker Ganesh Mahara near the Bakaiya River dam.

Lack of Furniture and Infrastructure

The school operates without any desks, benches, or proper classrooms. Instead, students sit on sacks spread on the ground to study. The two small huts serving as classrooms are inadequate to provide a conducive learning environment.

Ravita Kumari Mukhiya, a third-grade student, shared her frustration, saying there is no proper atmosphere for studying.

Another student, Subodh Kumar Patel, mentioned the difficulty of studying without furniture and said that even basic infrastructure would make learning easier.

Children in the early childhood development (ECD) class bring sacks from home, as those without them are forced to sit on the cold ground.

Acting Principal Hiralal Prasad Yadav confirmed this and added that a lack of basic amenities, including toilets, has further compounded the students’ hardships.

Teaching Challenges and Political Negligence

The school employs four ECD instructors, two federally funded teachers, and one office assistant. Despite 17 years of operation, the school has not appointed a single permanent teacher.

Acting Principal Yadav highlighted that teaching in such conditions is extremely challenging.

Although the school came under the local government’s jurisdiction eight years ago, no significant improvements have been made. Yadav attributes this stagnation to political disagreements.

In 2017, the then-ward chairperson from the Maoist Center, Sanjay Sah, acquired four katthas of land and constructed a five-room building to relocate the school.

However, the land was registered under the Terai Madhesh Prosperity Foundation, associated with MP Prabhu Sah, preventing the school from relocating.

Acting Principal Yadav criticized the local government’s lack of commitment to transferring the land and building ownership to the school.

Dire Learning Conditions

Currently, the school has 175 students, 60% of whom are girls, and four female teachers. Due to the lack of toilets, students and staff must use nearby sugarcane fields or return home to relieve themselves.

Classes are frequently canceled during heavy rain or extreme heat. Despite being from the same municipality, Madhesh Province Finance Minister Jitendra Yadav has not addressed the school’s dire situation, leaving the acting principal disheartened.

No Midday Meals Since July

The school has been unable to provide midday meals to students since July, citing a lack of space for cooking and storing utensils.

Flooding has previously destroyed important documents, including attendance registers, further highlighting the challenges faced due to inadequate infrastructure.

Seven Years Without Salary

One teacher, Rampravesh Baitha Dhobi, reported working without pay for the past seven years. He was appointed under a relief quota in 2018 but has yet to receive any salary.

Despite repeated assurances from the education officer at Fatuwa Bijaypur Municipality, Dhobi is unsure when he will be paid. Acting Principal Yadav clarified that the school currently does not have a relief quota.

Hope for Change

Ward Chairperson Vijay Kumar Yadav has promised to acquire land and construct a new building for the school soon. He has expressed a commitment to improving the learning environment and resolving the school’s longstanding issues.

However, given the history of unmet promises, students, teachers, and parents remain cautiously optimistic.

This school stands as a stark reminder of the neglect faced by marginalized communities in accessing basic education.