Jajarkot, June 5

The government’s student enrolment programme has failed miserably in Jajarkot due to the non-cooperation of teachers of various government schools in the district.

Keeping in view the high drop-out rate and the fact that many kids are deprived of education, the government had launched ‘Students’ Enrolment with Smile’ campaign following rigorous preparations this year.

The campaign, however, failed to meet the targeted result due to local teachers, who ditched the drive in favour of some private institutions where they have invested. As a result, government schools are struggling to survive while private institutions are thriving.

Bheri Primary School of Ranigaun, Khalanga has 50 students from Grade I to V, whereas the nearby Kasturi Sahakari Boarding School enjoys eight times more students.

Interestingly, the private boarding school  founded with the major investment of Lalitraj Bhandari, principal of Bheri school, has 426 students.

Similarly, Luri-based Ramjanaki Primary School in Khalanga has 35 students while the number of students at the nearby private school  Shanti Gyankunja Boarding School founded by one of the teachers from the government school, Asha Shah, stands at 325.

The district has a total of 284 community schools and almost all of them have witnessed a gradual decline in student number.

Many schools in Paink, Dhime and Dalli VDCs of the district have been established with the investment of teachers of various local community schools, and the number of such schools is likely to rise in the days to come.

Meanwhile, Bhandari attributed the fall in number of students in government schools to the mindset of the guardians. “As guardians often identify private schools with high repute, they are reluctant to get their kids admitted in community schools,” he said.

The guardians, on the other hand, blamed the teachers of community schools for poor quality of education. “The teachers of government schools are depraved and are purposely causing deterioration of the educational environment at government schools.

So, the guardians opt for private schools, where government school teachers have invested heavily,” said local guardian Mitra Ganesh Shrestha.

District Education Chief Lalit Bkiram Singh also criticised government school teachers for being more loyal to their privately-owned schools. “It’s due to the unscrupulous behaviour of teachers that community schools are faring badly,” he alleged.

He added that his office was planning to hold an all-party interaction to decide on the course of action against such teachers.