The Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which is responsible for the management of the historical Durbar High School and its new infrastructure, recently used the school compound as a paid parking lot. Stakeholders and educationists say this is wrong.

From October 31 to November 6, the City turned the school compound into a paid parking lot for Tihar festival shoppers who crowded the Ason and Bhotahity areas.

The four-story school building houses two separate schools: Bhanu Secondary School that runs classes from nursery to the 10th grade and Sanskrit School, which runs classes from the sixth to the 12th grade.

The principal of Sanskrit School said he opposed the move from the beginning.

“I have serious reservations about the City’s move to turn the school compound into a paid parking lot,” said Shiva Raj Adhikari, the principal of the Sanskrit School.

“If the school premises are frequently used for parking, this will obviously affect the study environment,” said Adhikari.

The historical school building which was ravaged by 2015 earthquakes was rebuilt with Chinese government aid at the cost of Rs 850 million. The new building was inaugurated by President Bidya Bhandari in October last year. Because of its new building and improved study environment, the school has been able to attract students from private schools also. It now has a computer lab, science labs, an auditorium hall and a canteen.

But just after a year of its inauguration, signs of mismanagement are already visible. Now the four story building is full of dust, the toilets stink and some of the automatic flushing systems have gone defunct. The school management has repeatedly complained of shortage of funds and manpower to manage the infrastructure.

“I have learnt that the City had promised Bhanu School Rs20,000 as parking rent for the period,” said Adhikari. He said he was not invited to the meeting with City officials and instead acting principal of Bhanu School Sharada Paudel attended the meeting.

When the Post contacted Paudel she said the ward office agreed to allow parking at the school after the Kathmandu Metropolitan City and traffic police made a request citing lack of parking space in the area for Tihar shoppers. “Initially they had asked for free parking, but later they started charging,” said Paudel. She said the ward office has deposited Rs 20,000 in Bhanu School’s bank account.

But educationists have called the school’s decision unwise.

“This is a completely wrong practice,” said Binay Kushiyait, a Tribhuvan University professor. “Community schools are not business firms. School premises should be used exclusively for children as a playground or for other academic extracurricular activities,” said Kushiyait.

After facing criticism, acting principal Paudel said that was a one time decision and they would not allow the school compound to be used as parking space again.

“We have learnt our lesson. We will not allow the school premises to be used for commercial purposes again,” said Paudel.

Ward 27 chairperson Chiniyaman Bajracharya meanwhile said his office had arranged free parking space at the school for festival shoppers but some local clubs illegally collected parking fees. “Now onwards, we won’t use the school property for parking,” he said.

Durbar High School’s history dates back to the 18000s and is the country's first school and was a center for education during its heyday. Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana built the school in 1853 to educate the children of the upper ruling class Rana families.

Later, members of the public also were allowed to enrol, but only those from well-off families could afford to send their wards to the school. Attending Durbar High School, which was renamed Bhanu Secondary School in 1967, was a matter of prestige, as it was the only English medium school in the country.

However, after democracy was introduced in Nepal in 1950, the Rana regime fell, and more schools opened, the Durbar High School gradually started to lose its charm, and it became a school for poor people’s children only.

The new building has the capacity to accommodate around 1,000 students.