By Lalit Basel
Surkhet, Nov. 14: A study has shown that coronavirus has adversely affected the education sector in Karnali. According to the study conducted by National Campaign for Education (NCE) Nepal, more than 27,000 children in Karnali are deprived of education due to the impact of COVID-19.
According to the study, nine percent of the total students, or 27,000 students, are deprived from education during the epidemic. Due to geographical remoteness and lack of alternative means of learning, the number of students have been completely deprived of education.

According to the study, they have not been able to get education through alternative means like online, radio and television. As a result many students from Kalikot, Mugu, Humla and Dolpa have been completely deprived of education.
Of the more than 300,000 students in the province, 83 percent, or 249,000 students, have been directly affected by the Coronavirus epidemic.

The report shows that 57 per cent students in the province do not have access to online education through internet. Some remaining other students who do not have access in internet take classes from radio and television. Different layer of governments have been running classes from radio and television targeting to those students.
The study revealed that only the students around district headquarters and accessible area have attended classes from alternative means.

Out of the total students in the province, only 18 percent or 54,000 students have access to electricity. Some students who have access to electricity have not been able to get education in lacks of internet.
According to the study, only 6 percent or 18,000 students in the province have been able to get education easily even in the Corona epidemic.
Meanwhile, the Coronavirus epidemic has also affected Karnali’s literacy campaign. According to Balbir Sunar, representative of the Education Development Division of the Ministry of Social Development, the literacy campaign has been affected due to Coronavirus for the past two years.

Of the 10 districts in the province, Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Dolpa and Kalikot are yet to be declared literate. There are still 477,841 illiterate people.
Sunar said that the literacy campaign has been completely distrubed for past two years due to the Coronavirus epidemic. He argues that the campaign was affected though the government aims to make the province literate soon.

Madhurani Dhakal, Karnali province co-coordinator of the NCE, said that there would be no improvement in the education sector unless there is a long-term investment plan. The study shows that it would take more time to get quality education in Karnali.