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Figure 1. Main Building
of Janakalyan Schoo
School and the Water Supply Project
Janakalyan Secondary School was
established 82 years ago in the regime of Rana Dynasty in Nepal
to provide a religious education to the upper class ‘Brahmin’
people of the region, but the infrastructure does not still
coincide with the requirements needed for the educational system
of Nepal.
The
team reached Janakalyan Secondary School, Bhimapokhara at
12:30pm. The location of the school is on the upper hill part of
the settlement and not really wide enough for the
infrastructural development. The floor was dusty; walls of the
buildings were not plastered properly; benches were not well
structured; doors/windows were not enough for the health and
safety of the students.
Figure 2. The Author with red T-shirt, with School
Staffs
The
school staffs - Head Teacher Mr Hari Prasad Sharma, other
teachers Mr Lila Ram Sapkota, Mr Sushil Gautam, Mr Bhumeshwor
Regmi, Mr. Danda Pani Sharma, Mr Bhakta Nath Gautam, Mr Nara
Bahadur Thapa; BYC staffs – advisor and immediate-past
vice-chairperson Mr Bidhyapati Sharma, immediate-past
chairperson Mr. Chandra Mani Upadhyaya, Executive Members Mr
Suresh Thapa and Mr Bhimsen Thapa heartily welcomed the team
showing a great pleasure of assistance to the school and the
community from Resolve International.
Figure 3. Water
Stand-post of the School
The author first looked at the water tap
with a stand post on the courtyard of the school building, which
had 24 hrs supply with a locking system on the cock to save the
water to be misused. The stand post was made convenient for
drinking purpose to the school students and staff.
As
described by the school staffs and BYC members the school used
to use water from the contaminated well which is a long walk
away from the school untill last year. At that time a staff had
to carry buckets of water for drinking purpose and for the use
of toilets. The school had to appoint an assistant (peon) just
to carry water and serve the teacher and students. Although the
water had to boil and chill before it was ready for drinking.
Figure 4. A Woman
carrying water from the well
The School Management Committee with the
coordination of BYC constructed the water supply system for the
school with the help of Resolve International. The water supply
scheme used a spring source located at higher altitudes. The
water was conveyed by pipes from the sources to the small
reservoir located at the corner of the school premises through
gravity flow.
Figure 5. Small Reservoir of the Scheme
Then the water further
conveyed to the stand post and to the toilets. The stand post
was located in the central part of the school so that each block
had easy access on it. The water was sufficient for the current
use of school. The local people use another source of water in
the village for their household uses. The spring water from the
high altitude forest remains perennial through out the year.
Figure 6. The Tap with Pressure of Flow
Likewise, after the construction of the scheme each toilet was
connected with a separate line of water. The staff and the
students are highly benefitted from the scheme of water supply,
which was expressed publicly by students and head teacher in the
mass meeting during our visit on 8th of February 2010. As seen
in the photo the toilet buildings as well as internal
accessories were of a low quality standard,.
Figure 7. School Toilets Building
Feedback and
Comments from the consumers
The project for
providing water supply facility in the school was crucial for
the Management Committee. The importance of the project was also
realised by the local community and BYC members, but there was
no available funds to implement the project. When BYC was
supported financially by Resolve International to implement the
project, BYC initiated to complete the project.
The
reliable source of the water was a spring 2km away from the
school on the top hill of the forest. The intake and pipeline
was not the sphere of monitoring. The small reservoir was
constructed to collect the water and distribute proportionally
as per the requirements. The system was made satisfactorily; the
author did not find any notifiable comments on their efforts.
Figure 8. Kamala Poudel
of Year 9
The
author received lots of positive and optimistic feedback from
teachers, staff, students and local people. The Head Teacher Mr
Hari Prasad Sharma mentioned that “the school had to drink
non-potable water from the well and the toilets have no water at
all. A bucket of water at toilet was not enough for few
students. Teachers had to look after the students for studies as
well as the water problem”. He further added that “the two stand
posts for drinking purpose and tap water connection at toilet
have given a far most relief to the students and teachers”.
The Author addressing the school
The similar stories added by the students,
but a girl of year 9 Kamala Poudel further explained their needs
and requested for educational materials, tools and equipments
for science lab and some computers for IT education. She
reminded that they are studying in 21st century, which is an era
of science and technology, but they have no facilities to use
them. Still many of them have not seen a computer till today,
far beyond to discuss about the science lab. Kamala added “the
value of water supply project is a mile-stone for the students”.
Figure
9. Min Bahadur of Year 9
Another student Min Bahadur BK of year 9
also pointed out the needs of compound fencing and sports stuffs
for the school. He added on the issue of water supply in the
school that “the project was great achievement for whole
community and students”. Many other local people, teachers and
students expressed their gratitude to the BYC and Resolve
International on the water supply facility they have provided
for the school.
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