Around 400 students of Jhirpu Higher Secondary School at Phulpingkatti VDC in the district have been compelled to study under the open sky after the April 25 earthquake destroyed their school building. They are also at risk of dry landslides.

Kabita Poudel, a ninth grader at the school, said they have been facing difficulties taking classes under tarpaulins. “Our classes are not run during rain and cold,” she said, adding that they are also being frightened by the dry landslides near their school.

As tarpaulins have started tearing up, some classes are being run under the open sky. School Headmaster Krishnahari Adhikari said they feel insecure to run classes in the area due to the landslides.

Rabindra Poudel of Tatopani-1, who admitted his two kids to the school, said the government should allocate the school to a safe location immediately.

Likewise, Setidevi Primary School in Tatopani-2 has also been running classes under a tent. Headmaster Binda Kumari Paudel said students find it too cold to sit inside the room all day. “They are not in a state of learning lessons,” she said.

Students at Tatopani Lower Secondary School also do not proper classrooms. Headmaster Goma Koirala said they have been running school under the open sky as students do not enter the school building which has cracks all over. Around 25 schools at Tatopani, Ghumthang, Karthali, Listi and Phulpingkatti areas in the district have no proper classrooms. The Listi-based Chandi Secondary School has been running classes for 197 students in four tents. Headmaster Krishna Timsina said the classes are too cold for students. “Tents are not very useful in the mountainous area during winter,” he said. According to District Education Officer Rudra Adhikari, 547 schools in the district were affected by the quake.