हाम्रो परिचयAbout Our School

They organized a traditional Deusi-Bhailo cultural program (celebrated during the Tihar festival) within the community. With the funds raised from this program, they formed an active awareness group. Later, utilizing some of these funds to make productive use of the time children spent playing in the dust and soil, they constructed a small hut in 2060 BS (2003/2004 AD) at a place known as 15 Number Danda. They started teaching and learning activities under the name "Bal Jagriti Informal Pathshala" (Bal Jagriti Informal School) with the motto of awakening the children.

Supporters and Contributors of the Pathshala

• Initial Media Coverage: In 2060 BS, local journalists Dhan Bahadur B.K. and Balram Pande published newspaper articles after seeing school-aged children providing free classes to children from poor and underprivileged families.

• Material Support: Local social workers Babulal Bishwakarma and Gita Basnet, through N.N.S.W.A., provided school bags and stationery to the studying children.

• Community and Local Helpers: The pathshala continued its classes until 2064 BS with the continuous support of local social workers Ammar Bahadur Sunar, Bhairavdatta Neupane, Chandra Bahadur B.K., Sitaram B.K., Santa Bahadur Sunar, Dorje Tamang, and Raj Kumar B.K.

Transition from Informal to Formal Schooling

Upon the advice and suggestions of respected teachers Shiv Prasad Ghimire Sir, Karna Bahadur Budha, and intellectual Bishnu Paudel, it was suggested that running the school closer to the village would make it operate more effectively rather than running it informally.

A gathering was organized by local social workers, including Harka Bahadur Sunar, Deb Bahadur Shrestha, Chakra Bahadur Sunar, Bindu Shahi, Babita Shrestha, Bhadrakali Sunar, Mayadevi Sharma, Bal Bahadur Sunar, and Dhanpati Sunar. Since children had to drop out of school because the existing location was too far, everyone agreed to support a school if established here.

• Relocation to Dhaulagiri Tole: In Chaitra 2064 BS, the building at 15 Number Danda was dismantled, and the school was shifted to Dhaulagiri Tole. However, there was no designated land to build the school. Shiv Prasad Ghimire Sir suggested discussing the matter with locals and individuals who were currently using the land previously utilized by Jeewan Jyoti Lower Secondary School. When approached, locals got into disputes.

• Land Acquisition: Showing a bold temperament, Harka Bahadur Sunar stated, "If no one provides land, I will give 5 kathhas of my own land." In the scorching sun of Baishakh 2065 BS, markings for 9 pillars were even dug. However, because the site was close to the forest, villagers raised concerns that monkeys would create problems for children.

• Finalizing the Location: Consequently, Dan Bahadur Sunar and Raj Kumar B.K. sought out an alternative. They approached Kamala Aryal Bhatta, who was cultivating land belonging to Tek Bahadur Sunar, and requested about one Katha of unclaimed public (Ailani) land located right in front of the registered land. A simple hut was built there, and Ganga Sharma (from local Kamal Sharma's family) was given the responsibility of running a child-development class for one year.

Formal Establishment and Government Recognition

• Committee Formation: On Magh 13, 2065 BS, under the presidency of Babita Shrestha (though no major initiatives happened initially), and with the participation of Shiv Bhatta and 55 others, an 11-member committee was formed under the chairmanship of Harka Bahadur Sunar, and Dan Bahadur Sunar was appointed as the Headmaster.

• Application for Approval: To secure formal approval for Class 1, recommendation letters were sought from neighboring schools (Shree Jeewan Jyoti Primary School and Shree Durga Higher Secondary School), along with recommendations from the Tribhuwanbasti VDC Punarwas Resource Center, and submitted to the District Education Office (DEO), Kanchanpur.

• Official Recognition: Although approval was not granted in the first year, a meeting held on Magh 13, 2066 BS re-submitted the request. On Bhadra 10, 2067 BS, the District Education Committee made a decision, and official approval was granted on Bhadra 15, 2067 BS. Since then, the school has been providing education predominantly to the 95% Dalit community living in the squatter (Sukumbasi) settlement.

Challenges, Relocation, and Border Disputes

• Classroom Deficits: Changing its name from Shree Bal Jagriti Informal School (started in 2059 BS) to Shree Bal Jagriti Primary School in 2066 BS, the school operated in a small hut for 6 years. Even after receiving permission for Classes 1–5, there was no space for classrooms. Repeated requests to various social organizations and the former Tribhuwanbasti VDC yielded no plans, causing disappointment.

• Infrastructure and Opposition: In 2068 BS, SWEET Nepal provided a tubewell and a toilet. With no land to build a permanent building, and in collaboration with the Punarwas Housing Company, they planned to build facilities on empty land near the lower water pond. When the toilet was being constructed in the middle of the ridge, some locals even mocked Harka Bahadur Sunar and Dan Bahadur Sunar, calling them "mad." Despite the criticism, the tubewell and toilet installations went ahead.

• Indian SSB Interference: During the construction, the Indian SSB (Seema Sashastra Bal) raised objections and halted the toilet construction. Local border security personnel called them to the border, taking them all the way to Gadhuniya. They were released around 6 PM at the border after showing their school ID cards, with instructions to halt construction immediately unless Nepal's administration intervened.

• Diplomatic Resolution: Through the active initiatives of the Nepalese Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, Area Administration Office, and Education Office, it was clarified at the Base Camp in Basahi that the structure was not a "bunker" (as suspected due to similar Chinese construction rumors), but rather a public school toilet, and that a school building would be constructed there later. Following discussions, the toilet construction was successfully completed.

Building Construction with "Build On Nepal"

• Project Initiation: In 2069 BS, upon learning that Build On Nepal provides new buildings for community schools, they applied for support. Build On Nepal stipulated that the local community must provide voluntary labor (Shramdaan) and local materials. Although the school had zero financial resources, Headmaster and Chairman Harka Bahadur Sunar decided to personally raise funds from relatives and locals if necessary.

• Mobilization: After discussions between the Chairman and Headmaster, meetings were organized door-to-door to request community participation (Shramdaan). Once Build On Nepal confirmed the project, the teachers agreed to pool their Teacher Salary Grant (PCF) and regular salaries—totaling Rs. 53,000 for one year—to purchase stones for construction.

• Inauguration and Border Obstruction: The new building was formally inaugurated on Chaitra 10, 2070 BS. During construction, the Indian side once again halted the work and even partially destroyed a boundary wall. Thanks to unified protests and the initiative of the local people of Punarwas, backed by Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Ghimire and SP Phanindra Paudel who led security discussions, an 11-member Armed Police Force (APF) team was stationed at the school. The building construction was finally completed in Ashoj 2071 BS.

Contributions to the Build On Nepal Building Project

• Local VDC: Provided Rs. 40,000

• Birbal B.K.: Provided Rs. 50,000 worth of sand and stone transportation support

• Murali Sunar: Provided Rs. 50,000 in cash, plus gravel and soil-filling support

• Bal Bahadur Sunar: Provided Rs. 8,000 for tubewell and water motor installation support

• Dhan Bahadur Thapa & Pashupati Chhetri: Provided 1 tractor-load of stones each

• Kisne Tamang: Provided broken bricks equivalent to Rs. 5,000

• Surya Mohan B.K.: Provided 1 tractor-load of sand

• Raj Kumar B.K.: Provided shuttering materials worth Rs. 100,000, offering a Rs. 50,000 discount as support

• Local Community: Contributed 90 days of voluntary labor (Shramdaan) to successfully complete the building construction.