Dilemma of an extended classroom

Bartsham Community Primary School in Mugtangkhar, Trashigang, has been on and off for a few years now. Five months after it opened in 2000, the school closed for want of teachers. It was reopened last year. However, according to local people, poor enrollment is threatening its closure this time.

Located eight km from the gewog centre, the school is operated as an extended classroom with a teacher from Bartsham Primary School, its parent school.

A few months after it opened, a man died below the school from the sting of a hornet-like insect. The death provoked fear in the only teacher, who lived on the campus. Fearing that the place was haunted, he left the school, after which the school closed.

The school is once again up and running, but a survey found that there would not be enough enrollment for the next academic session. According to Ugyen Thinley, the only teacher in the school, there may not be any children for pre-primary classes next year. He said that the village children are too young to be admitted to school next year.

In 2009, there was only one class III student. Therefore, he was sent to Bartsham Primary School as a boarding student. According to Bartsham Gup Neten Duba, villages are increasingly being abandoned because young people want to go to towns and live there.

He said that the villagers migrating to towns for better opportunities has depopulated the villages. Hence, the number of children in the villages is shrinking by the year.

The extended classroom has 30 students making up classes PP to III. Class PP has seven students.

By Tempa Wangdi

One Response to “Dilemma of an extended classroom”

1. Sangay Phuntsho says:

   April 5, 2010 at 5:40 am

   Our education system needs to be looked . . .

   Reply