News Summary
- Children in Maspur, Humla’s Tajankot Rural Municipality-3, are compelled to carry notebooks and books in their hands or wrapped in cloth in place of backpacks due to a shortage of school bags.
- Many children in Maspur face difficulties attending school because of financial hardships, resulting in lack of essential school supplies.
- Local residents emphasize that poor access to roads, health, and education services in this remote area has led to shortage of school materials among children, urging government attention.
April 26, Humla – It was already 11 in the morning when 10-year-old Sarita Rokaya of Maspur, Tajankot Rural Municipality-3, set off for school a bit later than usual.
Sarita, a student at the local Banadev Basic School, was clutching her textbooks and notebooks in hand and wore her mother’s kurta with yellow tika on her forehead.
Several of her friends, lacking backpacks, walked towards school carrying their books and notebooks wrapped in cloth instead.
Seven-year-old Lokraj Budha had a makeshift backpack made from a rice sack slung on his back, where he stored his books as he headed to school.
These are just a few examples. Many children in Maspur, Humla, are forced to attend school without basic educational materials such as backpacks, notebooks, pens, and books due to lack of resources.
Sarita, currently in Grade 3, shared that since she does not have a backpack, she carries her notebooks and books in her hands when going to school.
Lokraj, a Grade 1 student, said his father made a backpack out of an old rice sack to carry his school materials.
Rolpal Budha, Lokraj’s father, explained, “We cannot afford to buy backpacks, so I sew old sacks at home to make bags so my children can carry their notebooks and books to school.”
Most families in Maspur have very fragile financial conditions, and due to lack of backpacks, their children have no choice but to attend school carrying their notebooks and books by hand or in handmade sacks, Budha added.
The principal of Banadev Basic School, Khadak Singh, also confirmed that many children here lack basic school supplies.
He stated, “Because many locals are economically challenged, children come to school carrying notebooks and books in sack backpacks or even in their hands.”
Local residents emphasize that poor access to roads, healthcare, and education services in this remote region has resulted in the shortage of school materials and urge the government to pay attention to these issues.
