Awaiting upgradation of school, students unable to further their education

Awaiting upgradation of school, students unable to further their education

B.D. Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, May 6

Seven poor Dalit students of Gandhinagar village of Munsiyari sub- division of Pithoragarh belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, who have passed their fifth class  examination  from their village school would be forced to stop their further education  as the junior high school is at a distance of four kilometres from their village and the path to the school passes through a thick forest full of wild animals.

“In the recently held Lok Sabha elections on April 19, we had boycotted the polls as we did in 2019 elections, demanding a junior high school in our village and a road link. The district administration which had assured us about opening of a junior high school in the village from this academic session could not do it as poor students are waiting,” said Rajesh Roshan, Gram Pradhan of Josha village.

According to the Gram Pradhan, three Gandhian freedom fighters, who took part in ‘Quit India movement’ of 1942 belonged to the village.”The freedom fighters born in the village were  Nari Ram Vishwakarma, Bhim Singh Kunwar and Dilip Singh Bhandari,” claimed the Gram Pradhan.

The village has a total of population of 600 having 130 families, most of them belonging  to BPL category.”None of these families have financial capacity to continue education of their wards by staying at Josha or Madkot as all of them are from poor farmers ,”said Roshan.

The names of children who have passed 5th class and awaiting opening of junior high school in their village are Deepak Kumar, Laxmi, Sandhya, Babita, Kamlesh Kumar, Kaviraj Kumar and Rajan Kumar.” Every year, some 6 or 7 children are forced to stop their further education after passing their fifth class as their parents are not financially in a position to shift to Josha village where a junior high school is situated.”Not only these poor students are bound to stop further education but also some 25 families have migrated from village to further the education of their wards,”said Rajesh Roshan, the Gram Pradhan.

Pithoragarh CEO, Ashok Kumar Jukariya said that the proposal to open a high school in Gandhinagar locality of Munsiyari has already been sent to government.” As soon we get orders, the junior high school will be opened,”said Jukariya.

According to Gram Pradhan, the village fulfills all parameters for opening a junior high school there.”We have sent all documents to concerned officers and they all have agreed with parameters but school is yet to be opened in the village,” said the Gram Pradhan

Rohit (18), a resident of Gandhi Nagar, who works in a hotel in Munsiyari town said that despite willing to further his education beyond 5th class he could not do so as his poor parents were not able to send him to Josha   junior high school due to poverty.” Had the school been situated in village, I,would have at least got education till junior high school,” said Rohit.

“Whereas the students are taking admission in next classes, our children are still waiting fulfilment of assurance given by authorities before polling for Lok Sabha this year,” said Bahadur Ram, a guardian whose ward  has passed 5th class this year and waiting for the school to open in his village.