With the beginning of the cold season, almost all the children of the Bhote community in the northern part of Bajura district give up their studies due to the seasonal migration to warmer places.

The families of the community at Bichha, Pandusain, Wai and Rugin, among other VDCs of the district, migrate to the southern part of the district to avoid the cold each year. This affects children’s studies. 
The families migrate to Bahrabisa and Kuldevmadau among other places of Bajura and Sanphebagar of Achham district. Janak Thapa, a local of Bajura, said the children were deprived of education from the beginning to the end of the cold season.

Ram Bhakta Neupane, a resource person of district education office, said as many as 400 indigenous community members live in the district. “The season has affected children’s studies the most,” he added. Locals of the community hardly live for a few months in their homes. The Bhote community comprises 2,000 families. They migrate to neighbouring districts to sustain their families and earn some money.

It’s not only the kids of Bajura who miss studies during winter, but also the school going children of Mugu, Humla, Jumla and other districts, as their families migrate to places with warmer climates during winter. According to data, more than 640 families of Bajura change their residence every year. “The children of the community hardly attend school for six months,” said Chairman Nripa Thapa Bhote of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities.

Though the government and non-governmental organisations have been allocating millions of rupees for quality education, it has become a challenge to bring these children to the mainstream of education.

Published on: 27 November 2014 | The Himalayan Post