Fee waiver lures daughters-in-law

GAIGHAT: One Renuka Rai, who had passed SLC five years ago with good grades, has recently materialised her hitherto-unfulfilled dream of joining a college.

Not only Rai, many other daughters-in-law in Jante village, who could not afford to higher education after their SLC, are elated lately, thanks to a campaign launched by the local Janata Higher Secondary School. Many women in the village have started joining the +2 classes after the school decided that it would provide free-of-cost education to all daughters-in-laws of the village.

Principal Bamendra Burja Magar said a dozen such married women started taking regular classes from this session after they waived the tuition fees for them. "The morning classes have also been a plus point for such women as they have enough time for their family and household chores during day time," he added. The classes are run from 6 am to 9 am.

Pushpa Rai, coordinator of the higher secondary classes, said, "Despite their desires to pursue higher education, many such women have not been able to do so due to family duties and monetary problem. Our attempt to help ease their yearning for learning as education for women is important for a family and the nation in the long run."

Local guardians have also lauded the school's campaign. "The school has really done an exemplary work by providing free education to our dauthers (in-law)," said Tilak Karki, a local.

Many girls and women, who had discontinued their education earlier and joined the classes from this session, said that the education would illuminate their life.

The villagers organised various programmes to raise funds to run the higher secondary classes here.

The VDC has also been providing Rs 3 to 6 lakhs each year to the school, according to VDC secretary Rajendra Parajuli.