| This has made Bhutan one of the highest per | | | | pupils and 956 teachers. Thestudent/teacher ratio |
| capita refugee generators in the world. | | | | is an average 40:1 but in reality the classes are |
| Between 1989 and 1993 more than 95,000 | | | | much bigger than this as the number of teachers |
| Lhotshampas (Bhutanese Nepali-speaking Hindus of | | | | includes headmasters and teacher trainers which |
| Nepali origin who live(d) in the southern plains of | | | | are given very few periods, if any at all. |
| Bhutan), nearly a sixth of the kingdom's total | | | | A school environment provides more than just |
| population of approximately 600,000 have been | | | | basic needs to read and write, but also provides |
| forced to leave or forcibly evicted from the | | | | an outlet for children to experience a sense of |
| country by the Bhutanese Government. | | | | normality, safety and routine after many years |
| This has made Bhutan one of the highest per | | | | upheaval. |
| capita refugee generators in the world due to the | | | | Most of the classrooms are temporary structures |
| implementation of the Driglam Namzha | | | | (often made of a mixture of brick, bamboo and |
| (Cultural Code of the Ruling Elite) with a "One | | | | grass) due to the limited life-span of the camps. |
| Nation, One People" policy which imposed the | | | | Many of the lower classes do not have desks and |
| language, dress code, and customs of the | | | | the children are sitting on jute mats which have |
| northern Bhutanese on the entire population. The | | | | been manufactured in the camps during the |
| crackdown on the southern Bhutanese continued | | | | income generating activities initiated by Oxfam. |
| as the government began closing schools and | | | | However, all classrooms are provided with a table |
| hospitals in an attempt to force out those of | | | | and chair for the teacher. The blackboards are |
| Nepali origin. | | | | portable with an easel. |
| Often the countries most overburdened with | | | | Each school has a large open space where |
| refugees are already among the poorest in the | | | | assemblies can take place. On structural |
| world. Nepal continues to be ranked as one of the | | | | appearances the schools are identical to many |
| poorest countries in the world in terms of human | | | | seen in the rural areas of Pokhara and Kathmandu |
| development yet hosts more than 100,000 | | | | Valley. |
| Bhutanese and 20,000 Tibetan refugees. Nepals | | | | No land is available to refugees for cultivation yet |
| inadequate social and physical infrastructural | | | | the vast majority of the refugees come from |
| services are overstrained by such an influx of | | | | rural backgrounds. Artificial life in the camps for |
| refugees. | | | | more than ten years is therefore not preparing |
| There are seven camps with a population of | | | | the younger generation for a farming life back |
| 101,000 refugees, about half of whom are located | | | | home in Bhutan. Most of them have not been |
| in Beldangi camp. The camps are situated on the | | | | involved in farming for the past decade and there |
| plains of east Nepal, spanning two districts (Jhapa | | | | is a fear that they are losing their knowledge and |
| and Morang) which are the most heavily populated | | | | experience in the area where they will have to |
| in Nepal. | | | | make their future livelihoods. Although vocational |
| To get to the refugee camps, one has to drive | | | | training programmes and income-generating |
| on winding dirt roads through fields or forested | | | | projects have been initiated, they are not a |
| land for at least half an hour. The forest clears | | | | substitute for the agricultural work to which most |
| out all of sudden and distinct rows of huts appear | | | | of the refugees will return. In contrast, access to |
| in the clearing. It seems as if you have come | | | | medical care, food rations, education and training |
| upon a civilization long hidden from the rest of the | | | | has resulted in improved conditions for many of |
| world. | | | | the refugees. |
| In the seven camps there are 45 schools, 40,000 | | | | |