Butwal, May 10: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ramkrishna Tamrakar recently inaugurated a hostel for blind students of Shanti Namuna secondary school at Manigram of Rupandehi district and also unveiled statues of educationists installed at the school on the occasion of its fortieth anniversary.
The 30-room hostel was built through the Nepal Blind Welfare Association at a total cost of Rs 1,139,616 including Rs 939,197 provided by the Tokyo Helen Keler Association. The rest of the cost was met through the internal resources of the school.
An integrated education program was started at the school with two blind students in 1990. At present classes from one to ten are being conducted and the number of blind students stands at 17.
The statues installed at the school are those of Sardar Rammani Acharya Dixit, Krishna Hari Dhital, Dayananda Swami Paramhansha and Mrs Krishna Kumari.
Sardar Rammani Acharya had donated 34 bigha of land to the school, Krishna Hari Dhital 100,000 bricks and Dayananda Swami Pramhansha 6 bigha.
On the occasion, Minister Tamrakar said that as returns proportionate to investment could not be received from the educational sector, unemployment was on the increase.
In view of the shortage of technical education, the government had been laying special emphasis on it at present, he said adding that a plan to encourage investors also has been presented.
Former MP and president of the Nepali Congess Rupandehi district committee Baburam Rana pointed out the need to change the education policy. Acting chairman of Rupandehi DDC Ram Chandra Dhakal said that as free education has not been satisfactory, educational management in the schools should be consolidated.
Director of the Helen Keler Association Hiroshi Fukukyama expressed happiness at being able to help the blind students.
At the function, Minister Tamrakar felicitated Prem Mani Acharya Dixit, Madhav Prasad Dhital and Jagadish Prasad Upadhyaya with shawls for their contributions to the school.
Chairman of the school governing body Bijaya Dhital presided over the function.
Meanwhile, Minister Ramkrishna Tamrakar here said the terrorists involved in criminal activities should follow the teachings of Lord Buddha and make their life worthy.
Handing over a metal statue of Lord Buddha received from Thai Dharmaguru Sangharaj to the Kotihawa Mangi Monastery in Madhuliya VDC-4 of Rupandehi distirct recently, Tamrakar said the people trying to terrorize or divide the society should be neglected by the society.
Various other speakers expressed their views at the function chaired by Mangi Tamu Chozghi Madhauliya unit president Bhim Tamu.