In Bhairungdevi Basic School in Ward-19 of Hetauda Sub-metropolis, students from all grades are taught together in a single classroom. The school was established in 2007, and since then, Narma Subedi has been its principal. Including Subedi, the school has a total of three staff—an Early Childhood Development teacher and an office assistant.

“I taught the school alone for the first six years of its establishment,” Subedi said. “Even though the school is still understaffed, I have felt a relief since an ECD teacher joined. Sometimes, even the office assistant takes classes.”

Subedi said she had repeatedly informed the local unit and other stakeholders of the school’s severe lack of staff and infrastructure, but no help was forthcoming until the district implementation unit of National Reconstruction Authority stepped up and promised to build a three-room building. The building is currently under construction with help from the locals.

“This comes as a much-needed respite, but we still lack furniture and other infrastructure, and there’s no sign it’s coming from anywhere,” Subedi said.

Bhairungdevi Basic School has 50 students in total. Despite the school being located inside the sub-metropolis, it takes a walk of about five hours to reach it from the district headquarters of Hetauda. That is the reason why, Subedi says, the school has fallen into the shadows for so long.