Kathmandu, April 23

The massive earthquake that hit the country last year badly affected the education sector.

Of 7.5 million children enrolled in 35,223 schools, one million children were directly affected by the quake. Due to the damage to their infrastructures, schools remained closed for more than a month in the beginning of the academic session. Later, when the school resumed, the students started classes in temporary learning centres in the areas where the school buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Textbooks were not available. Frequent aftershocks further traumatised the children. In the middle of the academic session, the schools could not be run regularly due to scarcity of petroleum products as a result of the blockade of border-points. Similarly, the Tarai unrest that lasted for several months also affected teaching-learning activities in schools.

READ ALSO

• Education in makeshift tents turns students away

• Three schools running classes at one temporary learning centre

Dr Hari Lamsal, spokesperson, Ministry of Education said that the earthquakes last year affected the education sector badly. “There was loss both in terms of physical infrastructure as well as students’ studies,” he said.

Hem Chandra Mahato, principal, Bhanu Secondary School (Durbar High School) said they taught students for nearly 220 school days in a very difficult circumstances due to quake.

“Students’ academic results were not satisfactory as the whole year passed in a very difficult way,” he said.

Given the pace of reconstruction works, it seems the students in the quake affected districts will have to face difficulties for few more years. After the quake, MoE established Project Implementation Unit under the leadership of joint-secretary to look after reconstruction of schools and other academic institutions.

Currently, the PIU is evaluating bids to award the contract for constructing five schools in Lalitpur district.

Mahakali Devi Higher Secondary School-Bhattedanda, Kalidevi Higher Secondary School-Pyutar, Bidheshwori Higher Secondary School-Aashraam, Jyawaladevi Primary School-Thulo Durlung and Pathpradarshak Secondary School-Badikhel are the first five schools which will be constructed by the contractors.

Similarly, PIU has called for tender bids for the construction of a few schools in Kavre and Gorkha.

The devastating earthquake damaged 9,353 schools in 59 districts across the country. As many as 22,401 classrooms were fully damaged. 14,024 classrooms suffered major damage and 18,942 classrooms suffered minor damage. Similarly, around 1,200 students and 68 teachers died in the quake.

After the quakes, MoE set up 8,000 transitional learning centres (16,000 classrooms) in 31 districts. Various national and international non-governmental organisations set up 4,000 TLCs in various districts. Similarly, various organisations, student unions, business entrepreneurs and others set up 24,000 classrooms in various parts of the country.

The National Reconstruction Authority has decided to provide Rs 200 million to upgrade the TLCs.

Ima Narayan Shrestha, Director, PIU said, “We will construct prefab classrooms in the quake affected areas after the NRA allocates fund for TLC upgradation.”

He informed that they will be able to construct 125 prefab TLCs with 250 classrooms with this fund.

The Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency have pledged support for reconstruction of 1,500 school buildings in 14 districts worst hit by the earthquake. Around 5,000 schools needed to be constructed in these districts.

ADB and JICA had pledged to provide Rs 20 billion loan for reconstruction of schools. ADB will support reconstruction of schools in eight districts-Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Kavre, Kathmandu, Okhaldhunga and Bhaktapur while JICA is to support six districts namely Gorkha, Dhading, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Makawanpur and Lalitpur.

They have already released Rs 2.19 billion so far.

Shrestha said, “We have planned to complete school reconstruction within three years,” adding, “By mid July next year, we will start reconstruction of all damaged schools.”

He further informed that 88 NGOs/INGOs are going to sign MoU with NRA and MoE to construct 6,000 schools.

According to Post Disaster Need Assessment report prepared by National Planning Commission, the total damage and losses in the education sector was estimated at Rs 31.3 billion. More than 80 per cent of this had occurred in the 14 most-affected districts.

Meanwhile, private schools suffered a loss worth Rs 10 billion, according to PABSON.

Likewise, Tribhuvan University, the oldest and biggest university in the country claimed that it suffered physical loss worth Rs 2 billion.

Mana Prasad Wagle, educationist, said ,”The school days were irregular and at the same time the unofficial blockade and protests in the Tarai added to the woes of children who were affected by the quake,” he said, adding, “Students were in trauma and were facing difficulty concentrating on their studies.”