By Rajan Rawat, Humla, Mar. 12: Students of Dharmodaya Secondary School at Chhaprela, Tajakot Rural Municipality-2 in Humla district have been compelled to continue studies under the open sky for over a year since their school was swept away by the flood in the last rainy season.

Resumption of classes after a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic has not elated students of this school because of the lack of the school building.

"It is sad that we are forced to continue classes under the open sky on the dusty ground for the lack of reconstruction of the school building," shared Bishnu Devi Sharma, grade 11 student of Dharmodaya Secondary School.

She said that it was difficult to carry teaching learning activities under the scorching heat of the sun for both students and teachers

"The painful thing is this that it is not certain for how long students of this schools will have to continue studies by sitting on the ground with the sky as the roof," lamented Dharma Raj Jaishi, a guardian.

The school runs classes for students from grades 6-12.

Guardian Jaishi complained that no concerned authority had heeded to their appeals to rebuild the school after the building was damaged due to landslides.

It will take a mental and physical toll on students if students are compelled to continue studies in open fields for longer, he said.

Ganga Dutta Jaishi, Principal of the school, expressed his helplessness to run classes under the open sky.

"We have no option to run classes on the ground after the flood damaged the school building and no new buildings are constructed so far," he said.

Saying that the school is closed on a rainy day, Principal Jaishi explained that students from classes six, seven, eleven and twelve are studying in open fields.

However, arrangements have been made for students of class eight, nine and ten to study inside the classroom of the partially damaged building, said Principal Jaishi.

Currently, there are 450 students studying in the school.

Reconstruction of the school building has not started owing to the delay in selecting the site for constructing the school building although budget has been allocated for the same by both the provincial and federal governments, said the school principal.