Merag Primary School in Trashigang has been seeing a rise in the number of students over the years. From 157 students last year, the school today has nearly 180 students.
The school’s Principal, Zung Dorji, attributes the increasing enrollment to improved awareness on the importance of education.
“The parents seem to have fully understood the importance of sending their children to school,” he said. “They want their children to study up to at least grade 10 or 12.”
Once their children turn six or seven, the parents enroll their children in school. This was not common over a decade ago.
Apart from new enrollment, the school has seen students, who previously left, coming back. Two such students returned this year.
Choki Wangdi is one of them. He left school to become a monk. “I couldn’t cope, so I came back,” he said.
“I regret leaving school because all my class mates are already in classes 10 and some in 11. I want to study hard now.”
The school doesn’t have boarding facility. But it does provide breakfast and lunch to the students.
