Funding crunch, neglect strains Karnali’s pioneer technical school
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- Karnali Technical School (KTS), a pioneer in vocational training in remote Nepal, faces a severe financial crisis nearly five decades after its establishment.
- Deteriorating infrastructure, including leaking roofs and weakened walls, along with a destroyed micro-hydropower project, hampers operations and academic activities.
- The school struggles to secure funding from federal, provincial, and local governments, which tend to avoid responsibility due to its federal jurisdiction.
Karnali Technical School (KTS), established in 1980 in Jumla, Nepal, pioneered technical education in remote mountain districts when infrastructure and higher education access were severely limited. Now, nearly five decades later, the institution that laid the groundwork for vocational training in the country is grappling with a critical financial crisis.
Because of the difficult geography, operating costs are high and several important projects have been stalled due to budget shortages.
The school, situated on over 33 hectares of land surrounded by pine forests, features stone-and-lime buildings that are showing significant signs of age. Many structures, built in the late 1970s, suffer from leaking roofs during the monsoon and weakened walls, making them vulnerable. A micro-hydropower project that once supplied electricity to the campus was destroyed by floods in 2022 and remains inoperable, adding to the school's challenges.
Principal Bikal Adhikari stated that the school requires at least Rs2 million to repair the hydropower system alone. Beyond this, the institution needs modern laboratory equipment, improved hostel facilities, additional academic buildings, and proper campus fencing. Adhikari noted the high operating costs due to the difficult geography and mentioned that "several important projects have been stalled due to budget shortages." He added that because the school falls under federal jurisdiction, "both local and provincial governments tend to avoid taking ownership of these issues."
Since the school falls under the federal government, both local and provincial governments tend to avoid taking ownership of these issues.
Since the destruction of its micro-hydropower system, KTS has relied on the national electricity grid. Frequent power interruptions disrupt academic activities, while rising electricity bills increase operational expenses. School officials estimate that Rs2 million to Rs3 million is needed to restore the hydropower project. Despite repeated appeals to various levels of government, no funding has been allocated for these essential repairs.
The local government does not allocate funds to the institution because it falls under federal jurisdiction.
Weak internet connectivity and escalating operational costs further compound the school's difficulties. Ramadevi Kathayat, deputy mayor of Chandannath Municipality, confirmed that the local government does not allocate funds to KTS because it is a federal institution. This lack of financial support threatens the future of a school that has been a source of pride and opportunity for many in the Karnali region.
The institution also needs modern laboratory equipment, improved hostel facilities, additional academic buildings and proper fencing around the campus.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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