Kumar Luintel

Damak, February 11:

CARITAS, an international non-governmental organisation has continued its gradual adjustment of aid provided to Bhutanese refugee students for their higher education after SLC.

CARITAS had decided to slash its aid volume, citing reduced funding from donor organisations. This year, a total of 3,365 students have got support from the organisation but distribution was delayed by six months. Since last year, CARITAS is providing support only to those students securing first division marks in the SLC. Under this, only 200 students qualified for the grant. Over 1,000, including those passing the SLC in supplementary exams were deprived of a chance of higher education.

According to CARITAS, this year it is supporting 365 grade-11 students. Of these, science students each get a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 while students of other streams each get Rs 3,000. Before the reduction, the amount was Rs 6,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively.

The students said they were disappointed by CARITAS’ decision to stick to its policy of slashing support and funding education of only the students securing first division marks. Mukti Gurung, deputy chairperson of Bhutanese Refugee Students’ Forum said the policy had barred many from attaining higher education. A refugee student Nitesh Bhattarai said if CARITAS continues reducing support money, in the near future Bhutanese refugee children would lose every chance of education.

UNHCR and CARITAS are taking care of the education of some 42,000 Bhutanese refugee students within and outside the camps in the districts of Morang and Jhapa. UNHCR is responsible for their education till grade VIII but it has also has slashed the educational budget. CARITAS supports education from grade 9 to 12. It is learned that 3,000 in class IX and 2,000 in class X are getting CARISTA’s support.

Though the refugees have been asking both organisations to continue educational support, both have said the slash would continue.