Saraswati Pathshala

Vision

The vision for Saraswati Pathshala is twofold. Firstly, to provide a high quality education for children (especially girls) from financially disadvantaged families in Bhaktapur, irrespective their race, cast or religion. Secondly, to serve as an example for other schools. The current education system in Nepal struggles to provide the most basic level of knowledge. Instruction and examination are strictly by rote and little emphasis is placed on comprehension or using the knowledge in daily life.

The aim is not to replace other schools or to compete with them, we feel that what is needed are new ideas and an expanded vision of what education can give to the children of Nepal.

Life

Every morning at 10 am, our students (between 6 and 14 years) start their day with an assembly outside the school. Together they sing the national anthem of Nepal and the school prayer and listen to a poem of one of their classmates. Then, students go to their classes, where they are taught in English, Mathematics, Science, Art, Nepali or General Knowledge. Each period lasts for 40 min and is followed by a 5 min break.

For one hour per week, every class is also having a hands-on- experience in recycling, agriculture, paperwork, and chess playing (see below). At 1 pm, students meet in the dining hall to enjoy their lunch together and relax from studies. After three more periods the school ends with a final assembly at 4 pm and students leave to spend the rest of the day with their favourite activities.

What's been going on lately? Have a look at the most recent activities at Saraswati Pathshala:

• Mangshir 2067 (Nov/Dec 2010)
  
• Poush/Magh 2067 (Dec 2010/Jan/Feb 2011)
  
• Falgun 2067 (Mar/Apr 2011)

School Projects

Constructions

Since putting the foundation stone in 2005, two out of four stories in our school building have been finished, including 7 classrooms, a kitchen, a reception, sanitary facilities for students and teachers, a teachers room, and a principal office. These achievements enabled us to open the school in 2005. Most notably, this success was possible due to the generous support of our sponsors only and so we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to all of them!

However, as the number of students and school activities increases, we now have to move on and finish the remaining two stories. This will enable our students to study until their final class 10 and graduate from Saraswati Pathshala with the national SLC (school leaving certificate) which is the key to higher education in Nepal. Help us to finish the remaining constructions - make Saraswati Pathshala complete!

Further construction plans that are not yet included in the calculation:

• Wall Painting
• Electrification
• Outside plastering
• Playground extension

Current status: Funds for one new class room have been collected from several sponsors in Germany and constructions are going on!

Food

The roman proverb "Mens sana in corpore sano" (a healthy mind in a healthy body) is crucial to our students who are partly suffering from hunger at home. Therefore we provide all of them with a warm, healthy and typical Nepali lunch at school. By this means students are able to fully concentrate on their studies and their families are disburdened.

Current status: Food is provided regularly.

Computer room

In order to teach our students general office applications that have become essential in our modern society, we would like to realise a sufficiently equipped computer room. This major project was started by volunteers from France, who offered to collect about 20 second hand laptops from generous donors for our school. As soon as the computers, neccessary software and a secure network are installed we plan to offer introductory courses for our staff and soon afterwards the first computer lessons for our students.

Current status: Collection of laptops is going on.

Solar Panel

For two reasons we would like to install a solar panel in our school. Firstly, this will cover at least part of our energy consumption and provide light when electricity supply is interrupted (which happens to be the case of up to 17 h a day!). Secondly, we want our students to know about alternative energy resources, since Nepal is experiencing severe electricity problems. Therefore, the panel will serve as a valuable teaching device and an inspiration for self-help. Since a solar panel has already been donated, all that is left is a powerful battery to get started!

Current status: Fund raising for battery and equipment is going on.

Library

A library is not only a place full of books. To the students it is a chance to inspire their creativity, improve their skills in reading and develop ability for self-help. Therefore, the extension of our existing library is of fundamental interest to us.

Current status: All 830 books from TOIT office and other available sources were brought to school. Fund raising for lamination machine going on.

Agriculture

Where does my rice come from? How do I plant different kinds of vegetables? And in which season should I start? These are everyday questions which are highly essential to our students. To know how you can grow your own food means to be self-sufficient in times of shortage.

Therefore, once in a week students visit the schools own field to plant rice, cauliflower, spinach, potatoes, reddish, onions, garlic, or cucumber. They work the ground, observe the different stages of a plant or harvest grown vegetables to contribute their self-obtained products to the schools kitchen. If you think this is a good idea, you can help us put their future on solid ground!

Current status: Cauliflower, spinach, garlic and onions have been planted. Fund raising for seeds, fertilizer and instruments going on.

Recycling

Over the last years, Nepal's waste problem has increased dramatically. A public recycling system is too expensive to afford. As a consequence plastic bags, paper and other recyclable goods are literally dropped wherever you go. This does not only lead to heavy pollution of cities and environment, it also neglects a valuable resource for new products.

Since we want our students to think economically and ecologically, every class participates in producing goods from old resources. The products can be for use in school, for student's families or sold on the local market to add to the school's income and demonstrate to our students that recycling simply makes sense. Presently we are working on two different recycling projects.

• Briquet making: Old paper, hay and powdered wood are pressed into briquets for firing.
• Paper recycling: Old paper is recycled and used to prepare new paper, bags, folder, books or other paperwork.

Current status: All students are preparing briquets for firing once in a week for one hour. Organisation of recycling equipment is going on.

Chess

Chess is not only very popular in Nepal, it also offers excellent training of strategic thinking and fair, mental competition. In our school the chess project serves two objectives. Firstly, students are taught by a chess master once in a week to promote their mental capabilities and improve their game play. Secondly, in handicraft lessons students learn how to make chess boards (from textiles) and figures (from clay) themselves. By this means, they are able to improve their mechanical skills and gain self-confidence from their own piece of work. Additionally, finished games are sold to add to the school's income.

Current status: An experienced chess teacher is giving chess classes to all students 2 h a week.