Panchthar, December 19

Children from Majhi settlements in Panchthar have given up studies in the middle of the academic session due to lack of schools nearby.

While a few students continue to attend school, most students have dropped out.

According to the census of 2011, there are 668 Majhi households in Pinashi and Nakkale of Panchthar and Hakpare, Simra and Lamu of Tehrathum.

As many as 10 students from the community have completed up to Secondary Education Examination.

The children have to walk half-an-hour to reach a primary school, one-and-half hours to reach a basic school and three hours to reach a secondary school. The children hardly ever attend schools due to geographical remoteness and the arduous walk to school.

Head teacher Dilli Luitel of Salghari Basic School at Phidim Municipality said parents and guardians did not send their wards to school due to poverty and geographical challenges. He said around 40 per cent enrolled students from the majhi community did not attend school regularly.

Salghari and Mahadev Basic Schools are the nearest from Majhitar of Phidim and Hilihang. The students have to walk for 45 minutes to reach school from the Majhi settlement. The secondary schools in Jorsal and Bharapa of Phidim, are three hours’ walk from the settlement.

Panchthar Majhi Samaj Chairman Jas Bahadur Majhi said children could not attend school on a regular basis as their parents went for fishing and took their wards with them. “The children spend their time swimming in the river and start working in the local industries and markets when they are young,” he said, adding that most children get married before they become adults.