Bote children's school attendance record inconsistent

Palpa, Jan 9: The poverty-stricken children of the Bote community are still not attending schools on regular basis despite the attraction of the daily meal programme.

The children from the community are not attending regular classes due to poverty and lack of awareness. The attendance record of the Bote students enrolled at Jyoti Primary School at Hungi VDC – 3, Palpa is not consistent. There are nine students from Bote households in the school.

Many drop out after Grade 3 as hotel entrepreneurs from outside come to the village to employ them on manual works due to which their educational journey remains incomplete, shared School Principal, Dila Ranabhat.

The government has introduced meal programmes to entice the children of the Bote community, Ranabhat added. The school receives Rs 400 on a monthly basis for the meal programme. The school has a total student population of 25 from Grade 1 to 5.