We will be here until crisis gets solved
Caritas Nepal is one of the implementing partners of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the exiled Bhutanese. Especially looking after the education matters, Caritas operates the primary education with support from the UNHCR and runs secondary education at its own expenses. For the last few years, it has been supporting the SLC pass-outs for their higher secondary education as well. Field director of the Caritas at Damak under Bhutan Refugee Education Program (BREP) project, Fr Verkey talked with Bhutan News Service on various educational and contemporary issues related to the exiled Bhutanese. Excerpts:
Who have been funding you for education programs in camps?
Caritas Nepal took over the responsibility of secondary education in 1994. Our total budget in 2005 was Rs. 17.5 million. Our major funding agencies are caritas Germany, Caritas Australia, Caritas Japan and Italian Bishop Conference. The conference has been funded our program for the last three years. This year, it won't. The other organization helping us for class XI and XII studies is Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). This is the major donor to our higher secondary education. Last year, caritas distributed Rs 14 million to 4,500 students for their higher secondary education. Each student received Rs 3000. This year as well, some 4,200 students will get the support in the same rate. For this year, our main donors will be Jesuit Conference for South Asia, JRS USA, Peace and Development Foundation, Canada and Catholic Relief Service, USA. They will support us for higher secondary education. For next year, JRS USA has given some commitments but we have not received any commitments of support from others.
Caritas Nepal is the implementing partner of the UNHCR for formal education in the camps. UNHCR funds for education from pre-primary to class VIII. For 2005-06 session, we had a total budget of Rs 33.5 million. For 2007-08, our budget is around Rs 39 million. Caritas Nepal will add from its side, Rs 15 million in this for secondary education. From this year, new program will start: vocation training for the exiled Bhutanese youths. I hope, the project will be continued in the years to come as we have received words.
What are the reasons behind the down-falling academic performance?
There are some reasons regarding negligence on academic performance. The main reason is lack of motivation in children. For someone to motivate, there should be some opportunities for them ahead. For years living in the camp, they see that their future is going through a dark tunnel. So, they do not concentrate on their studies. There are various student clubs to which the children give more attention than to their studies like karate, music, political etc. Along with that good teachers are leaving our education system. This will certainly hamper the education because it takes time to make replacements. New teacher comes in who have little knowledge on the subject matter and students take time to be used to with his or her way of teaching. Sometimes, four to five teachers change in a year to teach a class. This will affect the education of the students.
Since two years, the UNHCR has stopped distribution of kerosene which it was giving since the camps set up. It was given for cooking and the students were able to allocate part of the given kerosene for lightening. As such students used to spend their morning and evening time with books under the lamps. But for last two years, students are barred from this facility. Students who used to wake up at around 5 in the morning now has no meaning to wake up before 7 a.m. in winter season. Similarly in the evening, it becomes dark by 5 p.m. and there are no facilities for reading. This put obstacles in studies of the children. To cope up with the problem, Caritas has changed its school timetable. Instead of our earlier schedule starting classes at 7, we run classes only in between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. This would give some opportunities to students for studies in the morning and evening. But this is not the absolute solution. The children should have facilities to study in morning and evening. In day time, students roam around and do not feel to stay at home and study. But if there would have been facilities of lightening in the morning and evening, children would certainly study.
Can you state some statistics of academic performances?
This year, 3,129 students appeared board examination of grade VIII. Same number of students had appeared the examination last year out of which 94 percent have succeeded. More than 2,200 students sat for SLC examination and 72 percent of them passed in the previous session. This year, 2,288 students appeared SLC examination. I hope around 75 to 80 percent of the children will pass the examination. Similarly, more than 80 percent children will pass the class VIII examination.
There is other thinking in the camps. What would happen to unsuccessful students? 20 percent of the 3,000 students is a large number. We have cent percent admission in camps. There was 2.2 percent drop outs in the last year. 2-5 percent drop out rate is taken as normal. The total student enrollment for this year is 33,200. Two percent of this is a large population. They remain unemployed in the camps. The situation in the camp is such that wee feel these students should get back to schools. The fact is that some will fail, 100 percent pass is attained nowhere. Even with his hardness, Bhutanese Refugee Education Program is regarded as one of the best education systems among all refugee education programs around the world. The reason is the commitments shown by the exiled Bhutanese community. There are more than 1,200 teachers working voluntarily. The community provides voluntary service for construction and repair of the school building. And the parents are very conscious towards education of their children because the exiled Bhutanese community knows that their problem would get solved one day or the other. On that they would have nothing to take with. The education their children received will be the biggest assets for them. So, the parents expect their children pass SLC, higher secondary and if possible pass the degree level as well.
What we should keep in mind is that the qualification of our teachers is grade XII. Those who passed grade XII has to teach in class IX and X. We don't have such a big budget to hire qualified teachers from outside. From the first days, we have decided to continue the education program though volunteers of the exiled Bhutanese community. The system has been running in the same manner. I hope, this will continue until the solution of the problem is found out. It is the responsibility of the community and the officials to motivate the children for their studies.
What is the reason for high drop outs?
We have large number of drop outs. We have an average drop out rate of 2.2. But in absolute number, this is a large population. I have stated about this earlier. It is impossible that 100 percent students continue their studies. All eligible children are enrolled, there are no selection procedures. If you enroll a child in a private school outside, they charge Rs 2,000 for admission application. They take tests before giving admission and they call they have 100 percent pass result. This is not the big thing seeing their way of screening the students. We should admit that we have limitation in this aspect.
What would improve the academic performance in camps?
We have adequately debated on ways to improve the education of the children. We have initiated different programs to motivate them to their studies. Teachers have to help them. Through workshop, training and seminars, we have been trying to make teachers more qualified and skillful. To inculcate interest in students for studies, we have introduced the block education system since a few years. Every black exam will carry credits. The credits will add up during the annual examinations for promotions. If we had adopted the system of promoting children just with annual examination, the students would forget what they were taught in the initial days of the session. But the quarterly assessments will help improve their studies, which we have seen in the last few years. We shall continue the system this year as well.
We are trying to help the teachers for their studies or provide them training if they have served at least for five years. This is a part of our attempt to attract the teachers. I hope some teachers will go for B. Ed studies and attending teacher training this year as well. We all want to tell the parents that they should motivate children and themselves as well. The administration cannot control the large number of students. So support from parents, community is necessary for making improvements in the academic performance.
How long will the Caritas support BREP?
Caritas is with exiled Bhutanese since 1992. I hope the solution of this issue would be found out one day. So, until these people remain in camps, we don't want to leave them. What we should make clear is that our donor agencies have been asking us what progress is being made towards solving the problem. They say they are tired of donating. As such we don't have any commitments whether we would be receiving support in the next year from those donors we are getting support now.
We set budget for a year looking at the number of children in school. In initial days, no one expresses commitments. It also takes time to receive the donations. In such situation, we find difficulties to run the program.
How do you see the future of the Bhutanese students in exile?
Taking consideration of the present situation, I hope their future is very bleak. Caritas can help up to class XII education. The support Caritas has been providing is partial only. Rs 3000 is not enough to pay the yearly fees to their colleges. It needs around Rs 15-20,000 per year. Today, the exiled Bhutanese students don't have this much of money. To get admission in collages, the students have to borrow money from their neighbors or relatives. I know, today's interest rate is 5 percent per annum. How would these students get this much of money to repay the loans? I also know that they have no legal permission to word outside. Even if they work, they do not get equal wage as the locals get. Thus, in the days to come, they would face further difficulties to continue the studies. This might be the reason they lack motivation in studies. At the same the parents do not have money to help their children. That is why the children do not respect their parents which they had to. Because of all these reasons, not only of the students, future of exiled Bhutanese is very dark. That is why we say, there should be alternatives sought to find their good future. Feeding them in the camps will make them more dependent. The older people are so much dependent. The youngsters who do not have to concern of their future will also become such dependent. The community would not be able to tap the strength and ability the young people have. That is why, Bhutan and Nepal governments, who have been responsible for determining the future of these over 100,000 exiled Bhutanese, should make faster decisions on this issue. Bring light to their future and help them get opportunity to build their life. This is my commitment and suggestion as well.
Why Dzongkha and Bhutanese history and geography have been included in BREP curriculum?
In the initial days when we introduced Dzongkha in the camp education, we hoped that they would be returning to their country at the earliest possible. The elder ones know Dzongkha, at least to speak. When these children return to their country, they would also be able to speak their national language. This will benefit them for integration. Along with that we teach them Bhutanese culture, history, geography, because the exiled Bhutanese say repatriation is only the option they think that would guarantee their future. So, if repatriation is the only solution of the crisis, we need to teach Dzongkha to our children.
But the problem could not find any way out in the last 16 years and now we might have to think for a comprehensive solution. Those who return to their country, they would find Dzongkha beneficial for them. For those who settle in Nepal or in a third country, would also find they have learnt their national language.
Why do you give stress on extra curriculum activities?
The reason behind this is because the children cannot concentrate on studies for a whole day. To maintain attention from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. in studies is very difficult. That is why there should be co-curricular activities: debate, competition, sports, and games. We have been able to help them increase their interest in these fields. To avoid them involve in anti-social activities, such activities are necessary. But due to lack of adequate budget, we have not been able to perform as we wished. Even then, I think children should get opportunities. That is why JRS has given footballs, volleyballs and other sports item in the last year. I repeatedly tell UNHCR that student's involvement in co-curriculum activities is necessary.
What Caritas suggests to its donors and other concerned authorities?
It is the responsibilities of all to find solution of the problem and unless the solution is found, there should be continuity of the daily basic facilities like health, education, shelter etc. I request the donor agencies, until the problem does not get a fair solution, they should continue to help exiled Bhutanese survive and encourage them to find a bright future. Caritas and Jesuit Refugee Service would fulfill their responsibilities on their part. May god help us.