16-year-old Prema Rokaya is from rural Nepal, Dolpa where access to education, health, information, and technology is still a question. She studies in grade 10 and preparing for the Secondary Education Examination (SEE). She aspires to become a teacher and wants to teach English to the students in Dolpa. Prema is a single child of her parents who are farmers.
Prema stays in her school hostel which is supported by Kaike Rural Municipality. The students do not need to worry about their fees and basic need. The school is financially supported by the rural municipality. It is only one technical secondary school on Kaike RM where students from different districts come to continue their studies.
“I am privileged to study in a school where we do not have to pay. This has reduced the financial burden on my parents. The school also provides free food and clothes.”
“My parents are only paying for my tuition fee as I am preparing for my SEE. 50% tuition fee is again covered by the rural municipality.”
Plan International Nepal and its implementing organization Social Awareness Centre (SAC) Nepal, Dolpa is supporting Prema’s school under the STEAM Ahead project funded by the European Union. Altogether, the project is implemented in 50 schools in Dolpa. In Kaike Rural Municipality, the project is supporting seven schools. The STEAM Ahead project aims for: strengthen CSO’s capacity to shape the education system in Dolpa and systematic change in the way basic education is delivered Under the project, an Adolescent Girl Club (AGC), Araniko was established two years back in Prema’s school to empower young girls for striving gender equality. The Araniko AGC has 20 members campaigning against gender inequality and quality education. The gender transformative STEAM Ahead project is advocating for girls’ right to STEAM education and providing girls with training on protection issues, SRHR, decision-making, and life skills.
“I was the president of Araniko AGC. I learned about preventing child marriage. Child marriage affects the overall development of children. Although child marriage seems to be decreasing in my area, people are not aware of its legal provision.”
“At AGC, I learned about our roles in the local planning process. I learned that local government allocates budget for social causes like ending CEFM, establishing gender- friendly toilets, etc. In my leadership, AGC provided feedback to the school on the need for a gender-friendly toilet with a regular water supply and hygiene materials. We used the complaint response mechanism established in the school.”
The Gender Responsive Quality Complaint Response Mechanism (CRM) was established in the school under the support of STEAM Ahead project. The School Management Committee (SMC), Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and AGC members were trained on CRM. The school formed a CRM committee under the SMC chairperson with two members from AGC is mandatory.
“I experienced leadership quality when I was president of Araniko AGC. After our feedback, a proposal on the importance of gender-friendly toilets in school was submitted to Kaike Rural Municipality.” “Within a few months, the Kaile Rural Municipality provided NRP four hundred thousand to my school.
Now we have proper separate toilets with a regular supply of water and soap. The toilet’s cleanliness is also being maintained.”
The science and math teacher, Tilak Khadka says, “We did not have a CRM system before. After we set up the suggestion box, teachers are encouraging students to use it effectively. This has made everyone conscious to act valuing the school’s code of conduct.”
“Teachers have become self-aware, positively taking the feedback from students and changed their behavior implying gender transformative approach in their teaching style.”
He further adds, “We have received various training under the STEAM Ahead project. We regularly discuss teachers’ behaviors and contributions to stopping gender discrimination. Now we are aware of engaging male students in the school events and cleaning toilets.”
Prema says confidently, “Through our AGC, we also raised our voices to continue distribution of the quality sanitary pads. We learned about menstrual health hygiene during various training provided under the STEAM Ahead project.”
“The biggest problem in our school was managing the used sanitary pads. We used to throw the used sanitary pads in the river and we felt we are polluting nature. In collaboration with AGC members, we also requested our SMC for the incinerator.”
“Now in our school, we have an incinerator that is supported by SAC Dolpa/Plan International Nepal. The incinerator is attached to toilets because of which we do not have to go outside and dispatch the pads.”
“There were only male staff and teachers in our school. We felt difficult to share our experiences and issues with male teachers. In my hostel, we also faced abuse by one of the male teachers. He knocked in the girls’ hostel and tried to enter.”
“We discussed this issue in AGC. Then we complained to the SMC and requested for at least a few female staff and female warden.”
“This was taken positively by the school management team and now we have a female accountant working in the school. The school has promised us the female warden and we are hopeful that she will be recruited in near future.”
“Leadership transformation is another skill that I learned in AGC. Every year we elect a new president. I have handed over my position to another girl. And, I am serving as the advisor.”
Chhoying Budha, the social mobilizer of SAC Nepal shares, “I have seen positive changes in Prema. Her confidence has drastically increased after receiving various training.” She further adds with a smile, “I remember the day the AGC organized a rally against child marriage in Kaike RM. The program was led by Prema. In her leadership, the AGC members developed messages related to ending child marriage.”
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