National
Student absentee rate soars in wake of Tarai unrest
The number absentee students has increased in several schools in Tarai districts due to prolonged strike and protest.The number absentee students has increased in several schools in Tarai districts due to prolonged strike and protest.
Teachers and people working in the education sector fear the number of dropouts could increase if the government and the agitating parties did not create an
environment for students to go to school.
“There are already reports of children living close to Nepal-India border quitting their schools. Many of these children are said to be involved in black marketeering of petroleum products and other commodities,” Khagaraj Baral, the director general of Department of Education, said in an interaction in Biratnagar.
The Tarai protest, which has been going on for over four months, has mainly affected the districts of Sunsari, Morang, Parsa and Mahottari. Restricted movement of vehicles due to the banda enforced by the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha and the shortage of petroleum products due to the unofficial blockade of India has forced many children to stay at home.
The ongoing strife in the region marked by violence and deaths has also affected the academic calendar.
“The situation is alarming. It needs to to fixed immediately,” said Baral, who directed the education offices of the concerned districts to collect a data on the number of students who have left their schools as a result of the Tarai protest.