New campus succour for married women

KANCHANPUR, March 15: Local women, who were deprived of higher education due to burden of family chores and lack of campuses in the neighbourhood, have now an opportunity to complete higher education.

Krishna Baijanath Multiple Campus in Jhalari of Kanchanpur has come as a succour for these women.

According to campus chief Surendra Malla, married women from Jhalari, Dekhatbhuli, Pipaladi and Jogbudha in Dadeldhura district have enrolled in the campus to pursue higher studies.

Married women account for 56 per cent of the total students in the campus, Malla said, adding that the figure suggests the region urgently needed more institutes to cater to women who want to pursue their higher studies. Earlier, locals were compelled to go either to Mahendranagar or Dhangadi to pursue higher education. However, the new campus in area has been successful in drawing a huge number of local women.

Anita Tamrakar, a student in the campus, said higher education was easier since it the campus was near her home. “I was not able to leave behind my family and study in another district. Now we have a campus near our home,” shared Anita.

Statistics show more than 25 per cent of girls get married between the age of 15 and 19. Similarly, although illegal, prevalent child marriages also deprive many women from secondary or higher education.