Due to long-term closure of the schools because of the pandemic and lack of alternative academic arrangements, students of Doti are deprived of their right to education.
According to the constitution of Nepal, Article 31, the right to education is guaranteed under fundamental rights to every citizen. However, because of the closure of schools due to the pandemic, they are unable to continue their education.
According to the guardians of those students, this gap has impacted negatively on their children.
Parents have complained that most of the children have become addicted to drugs and are involved in the wrong activities.
Basanta Kaini, a parent of the student of Saraswati Secondary School, Ranagaun, lamented that after the school was closed, children have stopped looking at textbooks, started using drugs and playing cards.
Min Bahadur Kunwar, another parent of Ranagaun, said that the schools in the areas with less impact of COVID-19 have not managed any alternative mode for education and used the situation as an excuse. This has had an adverse impact on the students.
Raghunath Pathak, Principal of Devasthal Secondary School, said it is necessary to operate the schools through alternative methods as the future of the children is at stake.
Min Bahadur Rana, Principal of Saraswati Seconday School said that online classes could be conducted if the government instructed them to do it through alternative mediums.
He said, “Right now we can resume classes by maintaining physical distance and adhering to the health safety protocols.”
Khem Bahadur Saud, Chief of Bogatan Fudsil Rural Municipality Education Branch, said that they are preparing to resume the schools in the rural municipalities with no impact of COVID-19. Those schools will be operated by following the health safety protocols issued by the government.
Lokendra Bahadur Shahi, Chief of KI Singh Rural Municipality said that they are discussing about resuming the classes through an alternative method because the education sector has been highly affected due to COVID-19.