January 20, 2003
 Grassroots Grant Assistance for the Construction
of a School Building in Siraha
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The handing-over ceremony of a new school building in Janata Secondary School was held at Navarajpur in Siraha on January 15, 2003. Ambassador Kaminaga and Ms. Chitra Lakha Yadav, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, were present on the occasion.
The Government of Japan has extended the Grant Assistance for the Grassroots Projects (GGP) scheme, amounting to ninety-two thousand, nine hundred and ninety US dollars (US $92,990), equivalent to approximately seven million, one hundred and eighty-eight thousand, one hundred and twenty-seven Nepalese rupees (NRs.7,188,127) for the construction of a new school building. With this grant, the project was implemented by Love Green Nepal, a Nepalese NGO.
Janata Secondary School was established in 1954 as a lower secondary school and was upgraded to secondary level in 1995. Over the years, the numbers of students from both nearby areas and remote parts of the district have increased as it is the only school at Navarajpur VDC in Siraha district that provides secondary as well as primary level education. However, due to the dilapidated condition of the school and insufficient space in classrooms, and lack of facilities for drinking water, sanitation as well as equipment for the classrooms, the school had not been able to provide accommodation to all the students. After the construction of the new building, the school has now been equipped with 12 classrooms, an office room, a library room with books, laboratory with science equipment, furniture, drinking water and toilet facilities. This enables the school to accept more than twice the existing number of students.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Kaminaga emphasized the importance of education for the foundation of economic and social development. He said, "Education plays a key role in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and in increasing the awareness within the family." He also extended his best wishes to the school for its further success and development. Furthermore, Ambassador Kaminaga expressed his hope that the school as well as the community would make concerted efforts to ensure its proper management and maintenance with discipline of ownership and self-help and it would continue to play a pioneering role in education in the region.
Mr. Mohit Narayan Yadav, headmaster of the school, on behalf of the school and the people of Navarajpur and neighbouring VCDs, thanked the Embassy of Japan for extending support to construct school buildings and other facilities for educating the children in the area. He assured Ambassador Kaminaga that they would utilize the facilities effectively and efficiently and would work for the betterment of the quality of education in the school.
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