This is the 6th school that KIKN is supporting. The school was set up over 50 years ago with a handful of children. It has over 600 pupils currently with 26 teachers. It takes pupils up to Year 12 (A level) standard.
It is situated on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley, surrounded by green fields and mountains. It is quite a rural spot. Apart from a few shops, most of the parents either work in the field or as unskilled labour. Most exist below the bread line.
KIKN started the Breakfast club for 50 children on 1 September this year. The school is putting in some funding themselves to stretch it to 100 children with free milk etc.
They called the Nursery class – the Play Group. There are 55 children aged from 18 months to 6 years in the play group. It is part learning but also part child minding. The teachers face daily challenges to meet the needs of varying ages in the class.
I am inspired by the teachers I have met. They are motivated to explore what is needed to help the children to further their education. The school shares a similar ethos with KIKN. They have helped secured grants for their past pupils to go on to higher education etc.
The effort of the school resonates with what I believe KIKN is about – to work relentlessly to help the disadvantaged schools and pupils to have the opportunities to have better lives.