Bramhatola VDC residents in remote Bajura have been operating a school with the money they earn as security guards in India.  The folks had established Bajedi Primary School in the locality one-and-a-half decade ago. 

At least one person from each family of the locality is in India to earn their living. The locals have also established a separate fund in India so as to collect budget to run the school. 

Bajedi folks gather at a particular venue on the tenth of every month and collect money for the fund. “We had collected Rs 1.5 lakh last year which was later invested on teachers’ salary,” said Khadakraj Joshi, a local. 

School Management Committee Chairman Dayaram Jaishi, said more than a hundred Bajedi locals working in India contributed financially to operate the school. According to him, all the members allocate at least 5 per cent of their total monthly income for the fund. 

A total of 205 students have been studying in the school which runs classes up to grade eight. District Education Office has managed three primary quota teachers, one lower secondary teacher under relief quota and four primary teachers under private source for the school. 

“Bajedi residents working in India have managed teachers’ salary along with other miscellaneous expenses so far,” said head teacher Bhanubhakta Joshi. According to Joshi, around Rs 40,000 to 50,000 budget was required each month to run the school. 

As people from Dalit community reside near the school, a large number of Dalit students study there. Dalit leader Dhaniram Nepal, said they had helped to establish the school as there was no school around.

Published on: 17 February 2015 | The Himalayan Times