EDUCATION NEWS IN NEPAL
Birgunj, Nepal: While the number of students attending community schools in Nepal has been declining, the trend is reversing in Birgunj, where public schools are experiencing an increase in enrollment. This increase is attributed to the introduction of English medium instruction and infrastructure improvements in these schools.
Several public schools in Birgunj, including Trijuddha Mahavir Prasad Raghuveer Ram Technical High School, Maisthan High School, Narasimha High School, and Siddharth High School, have implemented English medium teaching. This has attracted students who previously attended private schools, seeking quality education at a lower cost.
“Until a few years ago, most students and parents preferred private schools,” said Navin Mishra, principal of Triyuddha Mavi. “However, in recent years, students have started transferring from private schools to our school due to the introduction of English medium instruction and improvements in educational quality.”
The increasing popularity of public schools has led to admission restrictions at some institutions. “We have had to start conducting entrance exams to manage the number of students,” said Principal Mishra.
Krishna Kumar Kanu, a resident of Birgunj, observed the growing demand for public schools. “There was a time when people didn’t want to send their children to public schools, but now there’s a rush to get them admitted,” he remarked. “Public schools like Triyuddha High School and Maisthan High School are particularly sought-after.”
Arvindlal Karna, head of the metropolitan city’s education administration department, credits the increase in enrollment to regular teaching, skilled teachers, and infrastructure improvements.
Birgunj Metropolitan Municipality currently operates 91 community schools and 138 institutional schools across its 32 wards. Public schools accommodate 43,564 students, while institutional schools enroll 33,444.
Metropolitan Chief Rajeshman Singh has prioritized improving the physical infrastructure and educational quality of public schools since taking office. “We have provided separate toilets for students, clean drinking water, computer labs, libraries, science labs, and replaced blackboards with whiteboards for digital instruction,” he stated.
The Metropolitan Corporation has invested over 300 million rupees(about 30 Crores) in the past six years to enhance the quality of public schools. These efforts are evident in the growing popularity of community schools in Birgunj, offering quality education at a more affordable cost.
