This story in news daily Republica shows how solar technology helps Nepal in many more ways than one would normally think. Reposting here as well:
Villagers compete to install solar panels for SLC
TEK NARAYAN BHATTARAI
PALPA, March 2: The surest way to identify a house of an SLC candidate in the remote Ruksebhanjyang village in Palpa district is to see whether there is a solar panel installed on its roof.
For parents whose kids are set to appear in the exams, installing solar panels has become almost mandatory here as kids are going to the extent of threatening parents that they would fail the exams if they do not get to study under solar electricity.
With this year´s SLC nearing, there is a virtual competition among households to install the panels. Students who made it through the pre-SLC test studying under oil-fed lamps have insisted on having electricity at home to prepare for the exams often touted as the iron-gate.
The increasing use of solar panels has also received a fillip by the parents´ belief that studying under electricity helps kids make it through SLC, said Liladhar Gyawali, the principal of Gaurishankar Higher Secondary School.
“And students insist that either their parents install the panels, or they would intentionally fail the exams,” Gyawali added.
Indeed, the panels have proven more than just show-pieces. Students whose parents install the panels at home are seen to have worked harder in preparation, according to Gyawali.
Piram Rasmagar installed a solar panel for his daughter Govina 45 days ago and has already seen a transformation in his daughter.
”She studies till late at night these days, and also gets up early to study,” said Piram.
Another local, Leel Rasmagar, has set up a panel for his daughter Barsha. “Kerosene is expensive, and hard to find too,” he said, adding, “If spending Rs 15,000 for my daughter helps her make it through the exams, why not?”
Some two dozen households have set up solar panels on their rooftops for similar reasons.
For students who have always studied under the dim light of oil-fed lamps, studying under electricity is motivation enough to put in extra effort.
Said Nibendra Sunari, who literally forced his father Alambir to install the panel after seeing the households of his peers do the same, “I was always curious what it would be like to study under electricity. Now I know.”
All the 55 households in Ruksebhanjyang are Magar households. The remoteness of the village is such that for shopping villagers have the choice between commuting five hours on foot to Arunkhola in Nawalparasi and trekking for seven hours to Rampur bazaar.
The trend of installing solar panels at the behest of children has changed the deep-rooted mindset of parents here, who, in the past, preferred to throw a party after their kids passed, rather than invest during preparation, said Gyawali.
Published in Republica daily newspaper on 2010-03-02 23:14:19
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