Chimi Dema | Tsirang

Without higher secondary school in Lhamoidzingkha drungkhag, many students from the three gewogs of Nichula, Karmaling and Lhamoidzingkha have to study in Geserling and Drujeygang gewogs.

The parents, who do not want to send their children away, want the school in their locality upgraded.

With the Dagapela-Dalbari bypass road still under construction, students route through Thimphu or Gelephu to reach their schools in Dagana.

Lhamoidzingkha-Tashiding MP Hemant Gurung questioned the education minister on the government’s plan to upgrade Lhamoidzingkha Middle Secondary School (LMSS) to higher secondary school during the question hour session in the National Assembly yesterday.

He said that with about 800 to 900 students from three gewogs in the drungkhag going to the lone middle secondary school, people have appealed to the education ministry and dzongkhag education sector to upgrade the school.

Given the extreme heat students have to endure while studying, the MP also requested the ministry to provide air conditioners.

Education Minister Jai Bir Rai feels the need for upgradation but said that if the school is to be upgraded, they need to identify locations to relocate pre-primary to class VI.

“Time and resources would be invested accordingly to upgrade the school to higher secondary school  with class VII to XII,” Lyonpo said.

He, however, said that the air conditioners would be installed soon.

Meanwhile, Lhamoidzingkha gup Surja Bdr. Limboo said that with many students in the drungkhag, they have pleaded with the ministry many times to upgrade the school.

“We have also raised the issue in the past dzongkhag tshogdus, but nothing has been done so far.”

He said that if the school is upgraded, it would benefit them, as it is difficult to arrange transportation for students during difficult circumstances. “We had a tough time earlier this year.”

The drungkhag today has one primary school in Karmaling, two extended classrooms each in Nichula and Lhamoidzingkha and one middle secondary school.

At present, 312 of the LMSS’s 812 students including three pre-primary students are boarders.

The school’s principal, Thinley Dorji, said that if the school is to be upgraded, additional structure should be constructed to accommodate more students.