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A
life in the "Bagos": Bagopas |
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Bhutan People |
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Bhutan Information |
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Bagopas:
Life near the school
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Their
home for nine out of 12 months every year
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| Bagopas,
or hut dwellers as it is implied, has slowly crept itself into the Khengkha
vocabulary. Everybody in Zhemgang today understands the word for students
who live in make-shift dwellings near schools. While the word carries no
derogatory connotation, it highlights a problem that children who live
very far off from schools face. They put up close to their schools in huts
their parents build to solve the problem of long walking distances. There
is no choice. Most primary and community schools do not have boarding facilities. |
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The only other option is not to educate the children at all. But such travails
are not unique to Zhemgang.
In
most rural communities in Bhutan, children do live in "Bagos" or huts for
many years, from PP upwards until they reach higher classes in schools
with boarding facilities. The parents usually entrust the care of the smaller
children to bigger brothers and sisters who are barely 14 to 15 years old
themselves. But, most of the time,the children look after themselves, cook
their own meals and wash their own clothes.
Students
living near the school on their own
The
Tshaidang Primary School, established in 1988, was shifted from Leyleygang
to Tshaidang four years ago so that it would be central to Nekhar, Shobling,
Dungmang and Kamjong villages under Nangkhor geog. Theschool has 109 students
from pre-primary till class V and provides mid-daymeal. According to Diliram,
a teacher at the school, all these villages are more than aday's walk from
the school. There are presently 50 students living near theschool on their
own in three small bamboo huts. "Some families have sent elderly people
as caretakers. But they are usefulonly as cook and are hardly aware of
the other needs of the children," Diliramsaid.
Fourteen-year
old Jigme Wangchuk, a class V student of Shobling village,carries a big
responsibility in spite of his young age. Besides himself, he looks after
his seven-year old sister in class PP and five others from his village
who are all younger. His day starts with lighting the fire and preparing
the breakfast for his littlegroup. He makes them study for about an hour
before breakfast. Jigme Wangchuk has been living in that hut for the last
five years. The hut was previously occupied by his elder sister and an
in-law. He has not seen his parents for the last three years and claims
that he has almost forgotten the taste of meat. He grows some potatoes
and chillies in a small kitchen garden at the back of the hut but he is
very lucky if the wild animals do not devour them.
"The
real trouble starts in summer when for about seven months the roofleaks,
the floor becomes muddy and we have to go to school in wet clothes," hesaid.
"It is also very difficult when someone gets sick." Sonam Tobgay, a 10-year
old class III student, is already thinking of leavingthe "Bago" life behind.
He says he has had enough of living among scary wild animals, eating bad
food and walking for hours to fetch a can of drinkingwater. "I want to
go to Thimphu and drive a big truck," he says, adding that he will not
offer lift to any person on the road because he has never been given one.
Tshewang
Lhamu, a 13-year old in class IV, is eagerly waiting to reach class VI
so that she can join Buli Primary School which has boarding facilities.
"The school has been trying in every possible way to help these children
but we have hardly anything to offer when it comes to health and sanitation,
safe drinking water and proper diet," Diliram said. A proposal to set up
boarding facilities in the school has seen no action from the dzongkhag
authorities. In Trong village, just on the outskirts of Zhemgang town,
there are about 15 "Bagopas" from Dakpai studying in Zhemgang Primary School.
The
dropout rate in the school is very high because most are not able to bear
the harsh life. Girls, most often, are vulnerable to sexual advances and
end up leaving schools. The establishment of more community schools is
seen as a solution to this problem. But, according to assistant district
education officer Karma Dukpa, community schools are not feasible unless
there are about 50 school going children in the village. Diliram points
out that parents are very reluctant to send children to schools where there
are no boarding facilities. The enrolment in his school has never picked
up as parents prefer enrolling their children in the clergy. "Without proper
boarding facilities and without community schools nearby,there will be
more children idle at home or working in fields," Diliram said.
| This
article was contributed by KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper |
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| Information on Bhutan |
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