Kathmandu May 27.

Children in the remote parts of Manang district are deprived of school education for six months. The schools in Manang closed since mid-November. Although the new school year starts with the completion of the final exams, the schools in this high mountainous district have remained closed for about six months now following enforcement of the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Although school children throughout the country are deprived of education due to the lockdown, the kids in the upper reaches of Manang have been deprived more as the schools here closed for the winter holidays since mid-November after giving the final exams. In normal times, the schools would have opened for the new school year since mid-December. There are 28 schools in the district and 600 plus students are studying in these schools. Similarly, there are 11 schools in the remote upper part of the district with four local levels. Chame rural municipality has five schools, Narpabhumi rural municipality has two schools and Naso rural municipality has 11 schools, according to the District Education Development and Coordination Unit Manang. Recently, the Chame rural municipality has transformed five schools into boarding schools. Although children in areas with internet access have been studying online at home, the children without internet access are totally deprived of education, which is a matter of concern.