Locals protest decision to rent out school building
Dolakha, July 17
Locals, guardians and other stakeholders staged a protest against the decision of the school management committee and head teacher of Bhim Secondary School to give the newly constructed school building on rent to a bank in Melung Rural Municipality, Dolakha.
The school management committee and head teacher Sachin Thokar had signed an agreement with the bank’s representatives to open a branch of Sanima Development Bank in the newly constructed school building.
The bank started its services from the same building yesterday, while students have been compelled to continue their studies in a temporary structure made of zinc sheets. The stakeholders have drawn the attention of the authorities concerned.
Issuing a statement, Nepal Student Union, Dolakha, condemned the school administration’s decision. Chairman Bhim Khadka said the union would launch a protest and the bank would be padlocked if the school administration did not withdraw the decision within a week.
Civil Society Dolakha Chairman Dipshankar Chaulagain said it was a matter of shame that the school building constructed for students had been given to the bank on rent.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Melung Rural Municipality Nar Bahadur Shrestha said they were compelled to give the school building to the bank on rent and there was no point in protesting the decision. He said that it was a great achievement to get bank services in the rural areas. “I gave permission to open the bank in the school building as there was no alternative but to the to open the bank in the area and the school building was ideal for the purpose,” he added.
The six-room school building was constructed at a cost of Rs 90 lakh. The school administration rented the building to the bank for Rs 15,000 per month.
As per the agreement between bank representatives and the school management committee, the building will be used by the bank for the next 10 years.
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