BHOJPUR: The community schools here are facing difficulties in the implementation of the technical and vocational education after the abrogation of the ‘Earning while Studying’ programme running in community schools.

Schools have been affected now that the programme has been removed, as it had been providing students with practical and hands-on learning.

Dhruva Raj Regmi, the Head Teacher of Yashodhara Secondary School located in Taksar, Bhojpur Municipality–12, complained that the programme’s removal has directly affected teaching and learning.

He said that without the ‘Earning while Studying’ programme, it has become more difficult to manage the necessary materials on those subjects, conduct fieldwork, and provide practical training to students.

“The Earning while Studying Programme run in the community school was extremely effective. Students were gaining practical knowledge and they were also earning some income from their own production. After the programme was removed, practical learning is not that effective; it is sad that such a useful programme has been discontinued,” Regmi bemoaned.

According to him, the programme was discontinued from the fiscal year 2081/82 BS. Many schools had engaged their students in cultivating vegetables, fruits, rice, mushroom and other skill-based activities under this programme run through the Department of Education.

Several schools had rented land and conducted commercial practical education programmes. With the cancellation of the programme, it has become difficult for schools running vocational streams to continue practical teaching. Schools have pointed out the need for the state to introduce alternative programmes.