Elevating Rural Education: An Insight into Bhageswar Rural Municipality's 'School Reform Year' Initiative

In an inspiring development, the Bhageswar Rural Municipality has introducdaed a unique approach to improving education quality in the community schools of the district. Known as the 'Educational Reform Year,' this program has started to create a noticeable impact on both the teaching standards and student learning outcomes within six months of its launch.

A Shift in Educational Governance

The initiative was put into action with a simple yet effective method. Eminent officials, including the Chairman Hemraj Chatout, Chief Administrative Officer Khagendra Bharti, and Planning Officer Prem Ghota, have taken it upon themselves to personally visit the classrooms of Bhageswar Basic School at Lekuda, engage in teaching, and monitor the ongoing educational activities. This has offered them first-hand insights into the learning abilities of the students and the efficacy of the teaching methods.

School Monitoring:

The practice is not a one-off event. It is conducted for three hours every week, where the officials also interact with the students about their lessons and overall learning experience. Their comprehensive monitoring extends to assessing teachers and students' attendance, lesson plans, and activities, aligning with the municipality's education reform plan.

Regular Interaction and Inspection

As part of this reformative initiative, every third day, Ganesh Bahadur Poudel, the head of the municipality's education branch, visits the school to assess the teaching methods and discuss with the students. Similarly, Officer Bharti and President Chatout conduct school visits every 15 days, combining teaching sessions with inspections.

Progress Analysis:

These visits are also a platform for the officials to identify improvements, detect areas of concern, and assess the comparative progress in the students' learning situation from one week to another. This proactive approach has paved the way for a significant rise in the overall educational level within six months.

Fostering Community Engagement

The initiative has additionally led to increased parental involvement in their children's education. Post the launch of the campaign, the school now conducts monthly meetings with parents to discuss their children's academic progress and gather their feedback.

External Auditing:

The program also mandates that inspectors visiting the municipality for provincial and federal office programs inspect the local schools. They report back to the municipality on the schools' learning conditions, status, and physical infrastructure.

A Positive Impact on the Schools

The constant monitoring and intervention have brought about a positive transformation in the community schools. The Headmaster of Saraswati Mavi, Keshav Pant, affirmed that the 'school reform year program' has indicated that even simple efforts, backed by a strong will, can bring about a significant change.

This intervention has resulted in an improved connection between students and public representatives. Furthermore, it has contributed to a reduction in complaints made by parents to the school, according to teacher Bhim Thakurathi.

Looking Ahead

In Bhageswar Rural Municipality, with 32 community schools, the authorities believe that this initiative has addressed half of the issues in the education sector within six months. A positive impact on students' learning and teaching quality is evident, and a broader understanding of the issues surrounding community education has emerged amongst teachers, parents, and students.

The Future of Education Reform:

Rural Municipality Chairman Chataut asserts that the primary goal of announcing the 'school reform year' was to communicate that quality education is achievable even in remote areas. The program has already recorded a decrease in teachers' absenteeism rates, and parents are now more involved with the school, signifying a promising start.

The Bhageswar Rural Municipality's innovative initiative demonstrates how proactive, involved governance can transform community education. The 'school reform year' initiative has indeed brought about a change in the conventional approach to rural education, paving the way for more comprehensive reform in the future.

Dadeldhura