Community schools in Nepal hit hard by strikes: report

Strikes have led to the closure of a large number of Community Managed Schools (CMSs) in Nepal, a report prepared by a network of national and international non- governmental organizations said Thursday.

The report released by the Partnership for Protecting Children in Armed Conflict on "Community Managed Schools in Nepal" said that CMSs have been explicitly targeted by strike supporters while other schools remained closed in the country due to various conflicts.

The study was conducted in Banke and Bardiya in mid-western Nepal in 2006, covering 17 out of 39 CMSs located in the area.

"During the schools' shut-down last year, the entire system of the CMSs was closed, affecting 12,643 students in Banke and Bardiya," the report said.

According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, schools are required to be in session for 220 days a year and teachers are required to lead classes for 30 to 40 periods a week, but the study found out that the surveyed schools could not meet the target.

School administrations of the area were shut down for 60 to 85 days, losing approximately 39 percent of the total schools days.

The report also stated that the closure has affected CMSs' students, parents and teachers the most.

"Though some local initiatives were taken, there has been no systematic or national approach to do away with the closure," the report stated.

The report also stated that the CMSs have failed to garner enough support from the local people or the government to address the problem of closure.

Educationist Bidhya Nath Koirala, who headed the study team, attributed the problem to the lack of community support and funds.

"The government has to develop a model of decentralization in line with the CMSs' guidelines and the Education Act," he added.

The CMS scheme was introduced in Nepal in 2002.

Source: Xinhua