Nepal’s Only School for Endangered Bankariya Children Struggles for Resources

MASINE, NEPAL — Pashupatinath Secondary School, located in the rural village of Masine (Ward 4 of Manahari Rural Municipality, Makwanpur District), celebrated its 50th anniversary on November 30, 2025. This community-run institution stands as a vital educational lifeline for one of Nepal’s most marginalized regions.

Serving Nepal’s Most Endangered Indigenous Community

The school plays a unique role in supporting the Bankariya people, one of Nepal’s 10 officially recognized “highly endangered” indigenous groups. Formerly nomadic hunter-gatherers in the Chure forests, the Bankariya now number fewer than 100 individuals, all residing in a single settlement at Musedhap. Facing landlessness, poverty, and cultural erosion, the community views Pashupatinath Secondary as a beacon of hope; it is the only school in Nepal attended by Bankariya children. Additionally, the school serves students from the Chepang, Tamang, Danuwar, Rai, and Dalit communities, most of whom come from families reliant on subsistence agriculture and daily wage labor.

A History of Community Resilience

Founded in 1970 by social worker Pashupati Khadka and 26 community members, the school began with a single privately funded teacher. It received official approval for Grades 1–3 in 1975. The transition to a secondary level (up to Grade 10) in 2008 was met with skepticism from district officials, who reportedly likened the move to “gifting an elephant to the poor.” Undeterred, the local community continued to hire private teachers to ensure children could complete their education within the village.

Former headteacher Bhanubhakta Acharya, who led the school for 17 years until early 2025, recalls the constant struggle to pay staff on time. Today, current headteacher Sapna Lama reports an enrollment of 588 students, including 17 Bankariya children and approximately 190 students from other marginalized groups.

Achievements Amid Persistent Challenges

The school has seen significant physical improvements, including a new nine-classroom building funded by the Asian Development Bank. It now provides midday meals for lower grades, bicycles for students traveling long distances, and improved sanitation facilities. These upgrades have made Pashupatinath a preferred choice over local private boarding schools, attracting 20–25 transfer students annually.

School Management Committee Chairman Madhav Gautam, now in his ninth year of leadership, has been instrumental in this growth. His coordination with local governments and NGOs earned him a provincial award. However, resource shortages remain a bottleneck. Most teachers are still community-funded and receive low salaries. While the government provides a small number of quotas, the school lacks a proper science lab, IT equipment, and reliable drinking water.

Acharya emphasizes that securing just three additional permanent secondary teaching positions would drastically improve educational quality. Meanwhile, Headteacher Lama is actively seeking donors for a “one teacher, one laptop” initiative to modernize the classroom experience.

Student Voices: Hope and Motivation

For students like Saraswati Bankariya (Grade 9), the improvements provide a reason to stay in school. She noted that seven Bankariya students have already passed the Grade 10 SEE exams, with several now employed. “We must study to brighten our future,” she said, encouraging her younger siblings to persevere despite the long walk to class.

Fellow student Sapna Thing highlighted the school’s atmosphere: “The school feels fun—we learn practical knowledge beyond books.”

As it enters its next half-century, Pashupatinath Secondary School remains a testament to community determination. Chairman Gautam affirms: “No matter the challenges, we aim to provide quality education and turn this into a model school.”