Yami Kumari Pun of Kalimati in Ghorahi, Dang, has a hectic schedule since he started attending classes to learn to read and write.

The 55-year-old ward member of Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan-2 attends school with students her grandchildren’s age. The ward office and her school is only 50 metres apart making her commute easy between her workplace and school.

“I never went to school during childhood. I was busy tending to the household chores and when I got married it was my children I got busy with,” said Pun. “Holding public office made me realise the importance of education. That’s why I took admission at the local school.”

Pun enrolled herself in grade three at Rampur-based Ganga Secondary School this academic year. She has been attending classes regularly since mid-September when the school administration started classes by maintaining physical distancing.

“At first, I felt uncomfortable studying with young children but soon I got used to it,” she said.

A mother of four children, Pun says she decided to learn to read and write because she came across many hurdles while implementing her duty as a people’s representative.

“I was facing problems formulating plans and allocating budget. I didn’t want to sign the documents of which I had no clue.”

Hima Devi BK, 47, of Balim in Ghorahi-2 is one of Pun’s classmates. She is also the elected ward member.

“I wasn’t able to sign on documents for work. I wanted to learn to read and write so I joined the school with Pun,” she said. “My husband is also not educated. He works as a construction worker. So it was important for me to get an educated.”

According to the teachers at the school, it is a good sign that the people’s representatives despite their age decided to pursue education. It sends a positive message about the importance of education, they say.

“The senior members of the class are gradually learning to read and write words. They are slowly getting confident,” said Shreeman Neupane, a teacher at the school. “We decided to enroll them in grade three as they could read and write Nepali alphabets,” he added.

A good number of people’s representatives in the local units in the district are illiterate. According to Bharat Aryal, chief at the education unit of Ghorahi Sub-metropolis, only about 80 percent of elected representatives in the sub-metropolis are educated.

“But this is going to change. Many people’s representatives at Ward No 2, 3 and 12 have been studying formally in school or taking adult literacy class,” said Aryal.

The ward office also hails the efforts of its ward members.

“They could hardly write their names. They are now learning to read and write. Their learning will help accelerate the work at the ward office in the future. Their self-confidence has increased as they started formal education in school,” said Keshab Acharya, the ward chairman of Ghorahi-2.