Sindhulimadi, August 14

After being padlocked for 46 months owing to disputes between teachers and guardians, Manakamana Primary School in Kamalamai Municipality, Sindhuli, reopened today.

The guardians had padlocked the school’s administration and classrooms on October 4, 2012, citing complaints that the school head teacher, teachers, and the then School Management Committee were involved in financial irregularities.

Another complaint was that the school had failed to provide quality education and had not called guardians’ meetings or informed guardians about their audit reports for nine years.

The local administration, political parties, and education office had tried their best to reopen the school, but in vain. The school finally reopened today after the District Education Office formed a three-member committee under the coordination of school Inspector Nawaraj Baral to investigate the issues.

Inspector Baral said the newly formed investigation committee had started work after the school reopened. “The committee has started investigation after opening the school in the presence of DEO representatives, police, guardians and teachers.”

He said a public decision would be taken after studying school documents.

School head teacher Binu Khadka said they were not involved in any financial irregularities, and the real reason behind the dispute was that some non-guardians had forced them to form a new school management committee.

Students had been reportedly compelled to study under the open sky after the school was locked. Head teacher Khadka, school teachers Kamala Khadka and Maiya Karki, and SMC Chairman Akkal Bahadur Rana were accused financial irregularities.

The accused teachers were not allowed to take attendance in the school, but they had been taking attendance in Phusretar High School till the investigation began.