National Education Day was observed across the country on Friday without paying homage to some 180 teachers and over 300 students who lost their lives in the decade long conflict.

School in rural areas (File photo)
Not only the warring groups failed to declare the schools as ‘Zones of Peace,’ there were no signs that over 500 schools — where more than 15,000 students had been studying—will re-open sometime soon.

Talking to Nepalnews, vice chairman of the Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (PABSON), Bhoj Bahadur Shah said the mental and psychological terror inflicted by the conflict has greatly affected the social and educational development of the young population. “This may take years and millions of rupees to inculcate into them a culture of peace and love,” he added.

The reason is transparent and obvious. The two warring groups have used educational institutions as their bases of operation. “Maoists rebels find schools as safer places for their activities. In most cases, schools have become the battlefield for them,” said Kundan Aryal, general secretary of Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC)– a leading rights group. “Security forces and the Maoists should not use schools as battlefields,” he added.

Educationist affiliated to the Tribhuvan University, Dr. Mana Prasad Wagle, fears that the warring groups might be competing with each other to capture schools so that they would be able to operate their command easily. “Unless such competition ends, educational institution cannot be declared ‘zones of peace’ and a conducive environment for peace created,” he added.

According to Dr. Wagle, division among educational experts, lack of visionary leadership at the policy making level and inability of the State to create peaceful environment in educational institutions remain the biggest challenge for imparting quality education to Nepali children.

According to PABSON, most of the private schools in Gulmi, Myagdi, Baglung, Dang, Rukum, Rolpa and Surkhet, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan and Salyan districts have been closed. “Parents refuse to send their children to schools because they don’t have confidence that their wards return home safely in the evening,” said Shah.

Says Nepal office of the UNICEF, “It would appear, however, that children who are least likely to get a school education are those in areas where neither side have gained clear control and thus parents fear for the safety of their children away from home.”

Muktinath Adhikari (Photo source : nepalihimal.com)
Reports say children have seen several battles fought in the school turning the institutions of learning into ruins. Murder of school teacher Muktinath Adhikari by hanging him on a tree accusing him of spying against them was perhaps one of the most inhumane acts committed by Nepal’s “revolutionaries.” Similarly, rights groups say security forces have summarily executed dozens of school teachers accusing them of being Maoist activists or supporters.

Another pressing problem is displacement of teachers and students due to the escalating conflict. While hundreds of teachers have left their schools and are said to be taking shelter at district headquarters or in the capital, Kathmandu, thousands of students have been forced to flee their villages along with their families.

Says Bhoj Bahadur Shah of PABSON, “Over two thousand students cross over to Rupaidiya of India from Nepalgunj daily. We do not know exactly how many children cross over to nearby Indian towns daily through other major border points such as Butwal, Mahendra Nagar, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa,” he added.

Abduction of students and teachers by the rebels for indoctrination into “people’s war” is another alarming trend that has gravely affected the educational environmental. According to Kundan Aryal of INSEC, “The rebels have been forcing hundreds of teachers and thousands of students to undergo indoctrination classes. Similarly, the royal government has been advocating so-called compulsory nationalistic education to be imparted in the government schools. This has put teachers and the students into trap.”

National Education Day on Friday was observed with usual fanfare. But little attention was paid to assess the impact of the decade-old conflict on the education sector and the ways to force the warring sides to return to the table of negotiations.

Educationists say billions of rupee worth investment in education both from the government and private sector won’t be able to produce quality manpower unless peace is restored in the country.