The first Kirtipur women school

(Housewife) Woman School is the first female educational institution established by the chief members of Kipu Saving and Credit Co- Operative Society Ltd. in 2063. It lies in the heart of Kirtipur municipality which is located at Samal Dhoka, Kirtipur-6. This institution is mainly established to those women who were compelled to discontinue their study and to those who were unable to get education in their childhood due to the socio-economical or political problems and so on. It is a non-profit service oriented institution that constantly provides access to quality educational and career developing opportunities for the women or housewives.This institution has been providing a quality education in good learning environment to the participants since its inception. It is being a right centre of learning for adult women whichinspires them to learn many things in their daily lives. It also inspires the participants to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Many more women have not got opportunity to step in school's premise during their school age. They are not empowered sufficiently to contribute in national development effort being disadvantaged of women in our society in this century too. It is because of disparity mainly found in the case of gender. The cases of gender discrimination are found everywhere in spite of the question of their involvement in every

walks of life are needed. In our socio-economic structure women are ruined all the time in their domestic affairs however many of them can have leisure for certain time and use it to step along the ladder of formal education to accomplish the gate of higher education with these views to launch efforts along the path of empowerment and development, this school was established in 2063-10-9 to provide formal education with professional skill development training.

Objective of Kirtipur (Housewife) Woman School

This institution has the following objectives:

• Helping drop-outs and deprived women (esp. from education due to various reasons) by providing the opportunities to achieve secondary level education.
• Importing quality education to the participants in a good environment and to instill in them a sense of self-discipline and confidence so that they nature themselves into responsible and confident citizens of the country.
• Organizing different programmes to develop the participants or women's social status and to awaken them about the health education, woman and child rights.
• Examining the women's health regularly.

Initial stage of it

With the realization of the need of fema

le education, the members of Kipu Saving and Credit co- operative society Ltd. They Set up this school with fifty participants, three teachers and three rooms with no office. Some of the participants were from non-formal school who had already acquired basic things however; most of the participants were illiterate. They could neither write even a single letter nor recognize or read. The participants were divided into three sections of the same grade that was pre one. The participants were collected through the share holders or general members of the co-operative society.In the very beginning, the participants were taught to make circle, lines, "ka", "kha"... a, b, c, d, etc respectively. They hardly learnt them. Initially, the teachers felt how the participants would learn as they could not recognize the letters and couldn't memorize what they were taught. The participants took much interest in learning however. They got progress in their learning in no time. The students were evaluated orally and in written form and were graded in every three or six months on the grounds of their interests, regularly and capacity.

All the participants had to pay for their study. They had to buy the necessary educational materials like books, copies, pencils, etc themselves. The payment was reasonable. They were supposed to pay nominal charge. All the furniture needed for the school and other requirements were arranged by the co-operative society, itself. The main source of school was the participant's payment and the direct and indirect help of the co-operative society. On the course of time, Kirtipur municipality supported it financially to run continuously and academically.

Challenges

Everything is dynamic in this modern age. Every person or institution has to widen their thoughts, plans, etc to face any challenges. While conducting any program, a person or institution face different challenges. In the same way, this school has also been facing many challenges since its inception. It was a challenge for the members of this institute to set up this school. Most of the neighbors of the members of co-operative society and the teachers told them that they were gone mad and they were not working good social af fair instead they were trying to demolish the women of this society. They didn't care to the backbiters. They devoted their busy time to set up this school. It is gradually getting social fame, respect and status in no time.

Some more challenges:

• Giving access to education to all the illiterate woman of the community.
• Providing quality education in free of cost.
• Regulariging the participants.
• Providing access to education on the grouds of their interests, needs and level.
• Providing practical based classes such as computer class, etc.

Social reputation

Kirtipur Woman School, the only one woman school of the Kirtipur area, has been established as a model of woman school in this area. Initially the natives of Kirtipur who knew about the establishment of school used to talk about and used to say to the participants sarcastically. Most of the participants used to come this school with their own interest and with their family's force. Some of the participants used to tell their friends or neighbors that they were going to market/ visit their relative/ office, etc as their friends or neighbors used sarcastic words to them if they happened to know that they were going to school. But with the time, the inhabitants of this area have realized the importance of education. Nowadays, they thank the members of co-operatives and the contributors-principal and teachers of this school. They are supporting to advertise the school and collecting the students.

Aim in future

With the constant determination, the school aims to provide higher secondary level education with vocational education and skill development trainings to the participants so that the students will achieve self-confident, self -reliant and get employment as per their capacity in the society or involvement in social works.

Present Condition

The present condition of this school is shown through the different aspects of the school.

1. Number of staff Six experienced energetic and qualified teachers including a principal are serving in different sectors to run whole academic activity. There is a non-teaching staff that helps to handle the other activities of the school.
2. Class Presently, there are six classrooms. The classes are being run from grade pre one to grade five. The school is planning to collect drop-outs to admit in lower and secondary level.
3. Curriculum and course book The government has not prescribed the curriculum for adult students. So, the school is using the same curriculum designed for community schools, by Janak Education Office Sano Thimi, Bhaktapur. Similarly, the textbooks are being followed on the basis of the curriculum. Besides these course books, we are also using the course book that is taught in non-formal education such as Nayan Goreto, Gaun Besi, etc.
4. Admission The women above 14 years are admitted on the basis of their certificates or elementary evaluation.
5. Academic year 3 months and 6 months programmes are taken as an academic year in the elementary level. As the participant moves to the grade like 3 or 4 or 5, a year programme is conducted.
6. Skilled- Based Education It is providing a skill based classes for the sake of producing self dependent students. For Example ; making hand bag and purse.
7. Extra-curricular Activities The school is conducting different programs such as inter -quiz contest, debate competition, drawings, cultural programs, etc to develop the student's personality. Similarly, the school is condcting different informative and knowlegeble programmes such as earthquake training, leadership training, etc.
8. Scholarship Helpless, dalits and poor students are provided full or partial scholarship.

Excursion It organizes excursion programmes to develop the participants' practical knowledge and skill progress.

Health Education With the co-ordination of Kirtipur Phect Hospital, Devdhoka , Kirtipur, it is conducting health classes related to women and child's health once a month regularly in the Phect hospital. Examination System Unit test, terminal examination, direct and indirect evaluation scheme are used time and again. The final written and oral examination are conducted at the end of the session or program.

Economic condition The chief sources of this school are the participant's payment and government aid through District Education Office, Tahachal. The financial contribution of this office also is supporting to run the whole academic activities. It financially got support from Kirtipur municipality a year and half year ago. Therefore, it could make the furniture and other necessities were fulfilled by the municipality's co- ordination. Similarly the kipu credit and saving co-operative Ltd. is still helping by providing building for its sustainability. Without these organizations, the participants and the contributors of this school, the school remains no more.

Achievements

• The participants are being able to speak to the teachers and to anybody else without fear and hesitation in Nepali language as most of the students are from Newar community.
• The participants are also being able to communicate in English a bit and can understand well if somebody speaks slowly using simple and colloquial language.
• The interests and abilities of the participants are not suppressed. They have an opportunity to develop their potential.
• The participants keen on drawing the pictures which was ignored by them in the beginning.
• The participants are gaining the experiences of student life which they lack in their school age.
• Among participants free and self reliant habit is being cultivated.
• The participants are not tied with strict rules and regulation. They are free. Some extra -curricular activities are run as their need and interests.
• Holidays are given on the grounds of the local affairs and festivals.
• It mainly focuses on group learning and learner centered method.
• The classrooms are decorated with print rich prepared by the participants themselves.
• Appropriate teaching materials are used for making teaching and learning effective.
• Participants are being able to read newspaper, magazine, etc. and get understand.
• The school is trying to provide technical based education such as computer class to the participants as it is the demand of the time.