Kathmandu. Students of three community schools that were demolished in the course of removing the encroached and squatter settlements along the river in the Kathmandu Valley have started studying in a nearby school.

The students of Buddha Jyoti Children’s Park Basic School and Balkalyan Primary School at Kathmandu Metropolitan City-16, Balaju, which were demolished in course of eviction, have been shifted to nearby community schools. Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Education Officer Netra Prasad Poudel said that students, teachers and property management will be done in both the schools.

Buddha Jyoti has been shifted to Tarun Secondary School of Kathmandu Municipality-16 while Balkalyan has been shifted to Nepal Yuvak Secondary School of Kathmandu-17. There were also 120 students in child welfare. According to Baburam Neupane, principal of the school, out of 120 students from early childhood development to class 8, 45 have been admitted to Tarun Secondary School.

Similarly, 11 teachers of Buddhajyoti have also been transferred to Tarun Secondary School. The then principal of Buddha Jyoti, Santram Shrestha, said that they started working at Tarun Secondary School after the Education Department of Kathmandu Metropolitan City sent a letter of transfer.

Shrestha said that they have been contacting the students and parents there and asking all those who want to come to Tarun Secondary School to enroll there. Ashtamaya Lama, a member of the school management committee of Buddhajyoti, said, “It is not clear where all the equipment and children of our school are located. We have asked those who are possible to go to Tarun Secondary School,” he said.

Kathmandu: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has taken initiative to provide free services to the displaced children in community schools as well as private and residential schools. Following an appeal by Acting Mayor of KMC Sunita Dangol, the private school operators expressed their commitment to provide constructive support for the education of the children of the squatters who were affected by the government of Nepal being evacuated from the squatters’ settlements on the banks of various rivers in the Kathmandu Valley and at various vulnerable places of the country.

Private and Boarding Schools Organization of Nepal (PABSON)’s general secretary RB Katawal said they were ready to extend necessary support and facilitate in ensuring the continued education of children from the affected and genuine landless families, as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Saraswati Basic School Community Hall

According to ward chair Babukaji Dangol, the Saraswati Basic School near Manoharakhola of Bhaktapur is now being operated from the office of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality Ward No. 1 and the community building in front of Lokanthali. Information Officer and senior law officer of the municipality Keshav Silwal informed that necessary temporary arrangement would be made there, and necessary temporary arrangement would be made there. There were 120 students in the school.

Child rights activist Tilottam Poudel urged all stakeholders to unite to enroll children in nearby private schools free of cost, make arrangements for shelter and transportation as per the need, and make appropriate arrangement of psychological support and effectively implement it.