Bara School

A few days ago we made the long journey from Banepa to Bara.  This was a trip of approximately 100km, we took a shortcut, but still we were in the car for 6 -7 hours!!  The short cut passed over the mountain range that separates the Kathmandu Valley from the Terai region of Nepal. The road was full of landslides, we were thankful that this short cut was passable and that we passed through safely.  Entering the Terai was like entering a whole new country.  It is an almost endless expanse of flat land, crowded with impoverished villages, bustling border towns (with India), and lots of rice and sugar cane fields.

It is here that the Bara National Secondary School is located. Arriving at the school was overwhelming to say the least.  We were greeted to a heros welcome by the school staff, local village elders, students and members of the local community.  A press of people offered us marigold garlands and yellow flowers (a blessing).  We were the first foreigners to visit the school, and everyone was very thankful that we had made the effort to come.We were truly honoured to receive such a welcome!

The school provides an education for 1600 students, from primary through to secondary level.  But the facilities are very basic, and overcrowding is a big problem.  This can clearly be seen on the video that introduces the school: http://namaste-nepal2011.blogspot.com/2011/08/yvonne-voice-over-artist.html.

While at the school we learnt that there are classes of 230 and 260 students each.  This is crazy to imagine as the classroom space was not that large.  We feel for the teachers who must teach 10x the number of kids normally in a classroom at home!!

The community has been trying desperately to get funding to improve the situation at the school, but nothing has come of this.  Many speeches were said during our visit, with the school committee and village elders saying they were prepared to eat less food, to see their children educated.  They have promised to provide all the labour to build the new classrooms, but need help to raise funds to make their dreams for the future of the school a reality.

With basically no resources the school has recently started offering a 10+2 level class. This is the equivalent of polytech level course.  There is a lot of community pressure and need for the school to grow.  We clearly heard the hope that the community places on educating its youth for a brighter future for them. We hope that together we can help the school to reach this goal it so desperately needs and desires to achieve.  Please, if you wish to help, or want to find out some more information, get in touch.



Market in the school grounds

Welcome on the step

A classroom for 230 students

A warm welcom at the Jan Jagaran Youth Club (a local NGO).  Baiyaram Yadav

(the club president) introduced us to Bara School and is committed to helping the school.   



Buffalo in local village



Local village housing



Photo with school comittee, village elders and students