Dipayal, May 13

Higher secondary schools across Doti are struggling to survive as most of them are running with negligible number of students.

Saraswoti Higher Secondary School, of Pachnali VDC, has only five students each in management and education streams, while the school has seven higher secondary teachers who draw salary from the fund managed by a local community.

Similarly, Barchhain Higher Secondary School, of Barchhain VDC, has 24 students in the higher secondary wing, while there are six teachers and a local community has been paying for their salary.

However, after it was difficult for the local communities to continue providing for the teachers’ salary, a yagya is currently being organised since May 7 to raise fund, which according to Lal Bahadur Bam, will be used to provide monthly stipend for teachers and staffers of schools.

Lack of students and difficulty in managing teachers’ salary has dealt a blow to many local schools.

According to District Education Officer Basanta Khatri, there are a total of 33 higher secondary schools in the district. “But most of them don’t have enough students, qualified teachers, infrastructure and adequate resources,” said Khatri.

“Earlier, local residents established various higher secondary schools in their locality. However, many of the schools are struggling to survive,” Khatri added.

According to Doti Gadsera VDC Secretary Sher Bahadur Bista, the VDC office set aside a certain amount every year to support a local higher secondary school.