Most children belonging to the Bhote community in Bichhaya, Pandusen, Bandhu, Kotila, Kolti and Martadi VDCs in the district cannot go to schools for six months during the winter season as their families migrate to warmer places to avoid cold.

The Bhote families live in warmer places from the Nepali month of Kartik to Chaitra every year.

Like many other people from the community, Pasang Thapa (Bhote) of Pandusen VDC-5, who moved with his wife and three children to Saphebagar in Achham on third week of November, said he had no option other than discontinuing his kids’ studies during the winter months.

“It is our compulsion,” he said, stating that his daughter Dolma, who was studying in grade three at local Siddheshowri Primary School, had to move with her family members leaving aside her studies.

Kala Giri, head teacher of the school, said the number of children from Janajati communities in the school has decreased significantly of late.

Chairman of the Nepal Bhote Janajati Sewa Samiti, Nripa Thapa (Bhote), said around 1,800 children from the community in the six VDCs are deprived of education during winter. According to the committee, around 500 Janajati families live in the district.

Nripa said children from the community fail to attend their examinations as they cannot return on time after the winter break, thus preventing them from upgrading.

The committee members complained that though they are holding consultations on the matter with the authorities concerned, no alternative measure has been implemented for their children’s studies.

District Education Officer Gobinda Prasad Pokharel said they are waiting for the approval of mobile schools for such migrating children. According to District Education Office, only 20 children from the community have passed the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations in the district.

According to Nripa, among those people who have passed the SLC examinations from his community, two are government employees while nine others are working in the private sector.