KATHMANDU, Jan 13: Neither are they aware of the various Winter Camps organized around Kathmandu nor do they have the option of travelling to new destinations. Arjun Lama, a third grader at Nandi Secondary School, Naxal shares that since the winter vacations have begun, he has been attending an hour-long tuition classes and spending the rest of the day, playing like he always does. [break]
“Of course, I want to travel during the holidays but my parents are busy,” says Arjun, whose father works a driver while his mother is occupied with household chores.
Nabina Basnet, another student studying in grade 10 at the same school, also has a similar story to share. Due to the busy schedule of her parents, she has no special plans this vacation. She spends her winter holidays, taking tuitions for subjects like English, Math and Science. Because she has to appear for the SLC exams this year, the school has arranged for extra classes for students during the holidays. Apart from that, Basnet cooks meals, cleans her house and engages in playing games.
Studying extra classes, helping out at home and playing with friends; this is how students from Nandi Secondary School are mostly spending their vacations. Some share that they want to visit Pokhara, but this isn’t possible due to the circumstances at home.
Kanti Ishwori Rajyalaxmi School in Khicha Pokhari holds coaching classes for relatively challenging subjects for students from grade three to 10. Jaya Kapali, a seventh grade student from this school attends the coaching class every day. Kapali’s father passed away when she was small and her mother remarried. Hence, she shares that there isn’t a favorable situation at home to plan for the vacation. She doesn’t have access to fun Winter Camps organized and spends her holidays plaaying games of ‘chungi’ in the open space in front of her residence.
“I want to go to new places and do fun things, but I have no one to take me,” says Kapali.
Shresta Kapali, a second grader from the same school also shares that her winter holidays is spent at home, itself.
On the other hand, Sushan Lama, a student in grade eight at Tangal Secondary School in Tangal has utilized his holidays to learn some skills. He spends his entire day learning how the ropes of becoming a mechanic, at the motorcycle workshop owned by his relatives. Repairing motorcycles is a hobby for Lama. “I have learnt the basics and gradually I will learn everything there is to repairing motorcycles,” he says.
Majority of the students from public schools have no information about Winter Camps organized by independent groups and private organizations. They also don’t have the luxury of going too far off places to spend their long winter holidays, either.
Parents, mostly those who have migrated from places near to the capital, such as Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha and Kavre, and are working as daily-wage laborers and, sending their children to public schools, usually don’t have time to spend with their children.
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