In the wake of this disaster, a new six-room building was constructed at the edge of the village shortly afterwards, to support the village's students and their ten teachers. However, the classrooms were too small for the increasing class population and the school had to hire rooms in the village to support the children's learning.
In July last year, the new, earthquake-resilient, six-room school building welcomed its 175 students back. The new facility completed by Pahar Trust Nepal provides five additional classrooms and a school office, while the older structure, which sits adjacent, has been refurbished to offer extra classrooms, a library, and a computer room.
This extra space allows the older children to continue their education locally for an extra two years, sparing them the one-and-half-hour walk to the nearest secondary-level school. In the past, there has been a high rate of children dropping out of school, as they have been too young to make this journey to the next school which has hindered their educational progress.
In a village where literacy rates are low, with only 350 people in the village being able to read and write, the new school building is transformational and will impact the whole community.
Education is vital for the future of these children and the growth of their hard-to-reach community, with 90% of families relying solely on their incomes from subsistence farming. Because of this, not all families are in a position where they can afford the cost of a new school uniform for their child, and subsequently, many children must wear hand-me-downs to school which they’ve told us are ill-fitting and uncomfortable, impacting their learning.
Headteacher, Durga Shrestha, has worked at the school for over 17 years and has experienced many of the challenges that the school has faced firsthand. He believes that providing every student with a brand-new uniform, including shoes, is transformative. Not only does it boost the children’s confidence and happiness but it also enhance the school’s educational status. With new uniforms, students are more likely to stay in school and focus on their studies. Mrs Shrestha is aware of the financial situations faced by many families, and whilst wearing school uniform is compulsory, he tells the students to wear what they have despite the condition and come to school.
Sadly, students like 10-year-old Saraswati, Dupsan, and Anjali have previously had to come to school without shoes, and wear ill-fitting, torn trousers and shirts. When asked what she would wear to school if she could choose her uniform, Saraswati replied:
"I would love to have warm clothes, something that keeps us warm in the winter season."
Ill-fitting uniforms and the lack of shoes are common issues which discourage the children from attending school and hinder their education. For some students, seeing their friends in new school uniforms can also prevent them from coming to school. This disparity can be discouraging, leading some children to drop out of school altogether. Dev Raj Gurung, a science teacher at Shree Surya Devi Basic School, stated:
“If they get new uniforms, the children will not leave, and they will stay and it will encourage them to complete their basic level with good grades.”
Providing new uniforms is a small but significant step towards keeping these children in school, empowering them to achieve their dreams, and helping their community thrive.
