DHADING: After the massive temblor of April 25 destroyed most of the school buildings in Dhading, teaching and learning activities are likely to be conducted from tents.

The district is home to as many as 586 community higher secondary schools. Of the 5,373 classrooms in these schools, 1,150 have sustained partial damage while remaining classrooms were completely damaged, according to District Education Officer Ganesh Prasad Dhakal.

Not only the old buildings but even new structures were destroyed in the natural calamity. “It will take some time to reconstruct the destroyed classrooms,” said District Education Officer Dhakal, adding, “Since classes are scheduled to resume from May 15, we have no choice but to run them under the tents.”

Besides, the earthquake has also razed 227 drinking water projects and 272 toilets in the schools. The preliminary data show that as many as six teachers lost their lives to the tremor.

According to DEO Dhakal, education cluster under the District Disaster Rescue Committee is active in assessing the damage caused in schools by the quake.

There are 378 primary, 80 lower secondary, 77 secondary and 49 higher secondary schools and 13 campuses in the district. Twenty-eight primary, nine lower secondary, 12 secondary and five higher secondary schools and one campus are run under private ownership.

District Education Officer Dhakal said that the situation of the private schools too was perilous.

“The work to collect details of damage in both private and public schools is underway,” Dhakal added.

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE