Students’ dropping out of Tendu Higher Secondary School in Samtse in the middle of the academic year is increasing every year. The teachers and the parents citied the lack of boarding facility as the sole reason. To address the problem, the teachers and the parents got together and decided to construct a makeshift hostel within the school campus.
Nineteen students moved into the recently completed makeshift hostel. The makeshift hostels for boys and girls was constructed by the parents, students support service group and teachers.
“We have incidences around 5 to 6 dropout students in a year. When the parents are called, parents are ready to take their children back home. So this initiative should address to such problem,” said Sangay Dukpa, the school’s Principal.
Tendu Higher Secondary school has 1600 students, however, only 205 students are availing themselves of the boarding facilities. The school has only two hostels, one for male and one for female.
Students from different villages have to walk for hours every day to school. A few of them had to make their own accommodation arrangement. The new makeshift hostel comes as a blessing to many students. Some of them who have moved into the new hostel say they no longer to walk for hours to get to school and that they will get more time to study.
The construction of the makeshift hostel, which was started, last month was completed within a month. The construction cost came up to Nu. 1,30,000. People from eight households helped with the construction and the electrification and materials were provided by the support service group.
