Education in Nepal Before 1951

Education in Nepal Before 1951

Education in Nepal Before 1951
The Rana rulers (1846-1951) believed that an educated population posed a threat to their autocratic rule. As a result, they intentionally limited the spread of formal education. The first modern school, Durbar High School, was established in 1854, but it was initially for the exclusive use of the Rana family's sons and a select few elites. Only later was it opened to the public, and even then, access was very limited.
Due to this restrictive policy, most people had no access to formal schooling. This is why a survey of elderly citizens in Kathmandu's core areas would likely reveal a large percentage who never attended school.
The Nepali Diaspora and Education Abroad
The lack of educational and employment opportunities within Nepal pushed many ambitious families, particularly from the Newar community, to migrate to India. They settled in British-controlled cities like Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Calcutta (now Kolkata), which offered better prospects. These cities had well-established schools, and many Nepalese parents, facing difficulty finding jobs at home, were able to secure an education for their children there. Many migranted to Tibet and left children in Kalingpong Darjeeling for schooling. This migration and access to education abroad contributed to the rise of a new, educated class that would later play a crucial role in the movement to overthrow the Rana regime there is a direct connection between the lack of education and the rise of intellectual and political activism in Nepal.
The detail about Dharma Ratna Yami being a veteran writer who wrote many books from jail, serving an 18-year sentence, is particularly powerful. It demonstrates that:
* Political imprisonment was a reality for intellectuals: The Rana regime's suppression of dissent wasn't just about limiting formal schooling; it was also about jailing those who challenged their rule through their words.
* Creativity thrived despite oppression: The act of writing from within a prison is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of the anti-Rana movement. It shows that even without a formal, publicly accessible school system, knowledge and a desire for change were cultivated and expressed.
* The jail became a kind of "school": For many political prisoners and intellectuals like Yami, the time spent in jail became a period of intense reflection, writing, and organizing, which later contributed to the political change in 1951.
Your inclusion of this specific example makes the narrative much more concrete and human. It moves beyond a general description of policy and shows the personal sacrifices and intellectual contributions of those who fought for a different Nepal. The fact that he did this "without schooling" . This irony further underscores the complexity of the period. The political imprisonment, the resilience of intellectualism, and the jail becoming a "school" for political thought are all profoundly true.

My mother Heera Devi Yami used to be threatened for teaching children in hiding places inside lanes of Kathmandu valley. She was in Calcutta and Kalingpong during her early days of life and had witnessed Gandhi movement in India. It provides a vivid and painful example of the historical reality I been discussing.
My mother's experience is a testament to the courage of ordinary people who risked their safety to bring education to others. This was not a minor risk; it was a direct act of defiance against the state. The Rana regime's policy was not just about neglecting public education—it was about actively suppressing it.
Here's why my mother's experience fits perfectly into the historical context of the time:
* Fear of Knowledge: The Ranas understood that knowledge was power. A population that could read, write, and think critically was a direct threat to their autocratic rule. They feared that education would lead to political awareness and rebellion, which it ultimately did.
* Clandestine Education: Because of this fear, any attempt at private or informal teaching was seen as a subversive activity. People who taught children in their homes or in secret were essentially operating a "school" that was illegal in the eyes of the government. This is why private teachers were threatened and sometimes imprisoned.
* The Rise of a New Class: My mother's actions, and the actions of countless others like her, contributed to the intellectual awakening that led to the 1951 revolution. The students she taught in secret became part of the new, educated generation that would demand change and help dismantle the Rana regime.
My mother's story is a vital piece of this history, a human face to the statistics on illiteracy and the historical accounts of oppression. It highlights that the struggle for education in Nepal was not just a political movement but a personal, dangerous, and deeply courageous one.

Jagat Lal Master, also known as Jagat Lal Shrestha, is a very significant figure in the history of education reaching children secretly and political resistance in Nepal. He was a neighbor of Heera Devi and he had also taught secretly her during her early days. During her early days teaching girls used to be stricly forbidden and religious leaders used to preach saying it will bring disaster in the family and the society. His story directly and tragically illustrates the very dangers that my mother faced and the political climate of the time.
Jagat Lal was a teacher, and he is a powerful symbol of the intellectual struggle against the Rana regime. Jagat Lal's story is a stark reminder that the threats faced by teachers like my mother were not empty words.

More details in

https://www.timilayamithapa.com/blogs/view/134.html
and

https://www.timilayamithapa.com/blogs/view/135.html