Debal Basic School, located in Tumch (Sarkegad Rural Municipality-1 in the district’s southern region), has raised over Rs. 200,000 through a ‘Deusi-Bhailo’ function organised during the Tihar festival.

The school community conducted the traditional cultural activity to secure the necessary financial resources for upgrading the current basic-level school to a secondary-level institution.

School Principal Madan Budha stated that an amount of 217,575 rupees was collected through the Deusi-Bhailo over the four days of Tihar.

Principal Budha informed that the funds were gathered from the areas of Jair, Chhidinatta, Lum, and Tumch, with the primary goal of supporting the school’s educational development and facilitating the operation of the proposed secondary level. 

According to him, although the formal Deusi-Bhailo programme has concluded, various individuals and donors continue to provide financial support to the school.

Principal Budha has also appealed to everyone to contribute toward the school’s educational advancement and upgrading school to the secondary level.

He further explained that the funds raised are primarily intended to be used for launching the proposed secondary school, starting from the current academic session, and for managing the recruitment of teachers for the proposed level.

Janak Malla, a resident, mentioned that the Deusi-Bhailo programme was organised specifically to generate the financial resources required to manage the teachers needed to conduct classes at the secondary level.

He added that efforts are underway, involving residents and donors, to secure financial resources with the goal of improving the educational quality of community schools in rural areas and ensuring that secondary-level education is available within the village itself.

Although Saraswati Secondary School, the nearest secondary institution, is located in the same ward, reaching it requires a walk of more than three hours. Rajkrishna Shahi, President of the School Management Committee, explained that secondary-level classes (grades 9 and 10) were initiated in the second week of March following a request from parents to establish a secondary school.

He also believes that this campaign, which links the cultural traditions of Tihar with the school’s educational development, will help support the operation of the proposed secondary school. 

Currently, more than 300 students are enrolled at the school, and all necessary physical infrastructure has been constructed.