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Private schools remain closed to mourn victims of school bus tragedy

Private schools across the country remained closed Sunday to mourn the death of the students and teachers of Hill Bird Higher Secondary School in a bus-mishap in Nawalparasi district last week. The accident killed 23 persons, mostly school children, and injured 61.

Private and Boarding Schools' Association (PABSON) had on Saturday announced closure of all private schools across the country in memory of the students and teachers killed in the accident.

PABSON has also appealed to the government to form a commission to probe into the accident and punish the guilty.

The school has announced that Rs 25,000 will be provided to all the bereaved families for the funerals of the deceased ones.

Meanwhile, reports from Chitwan, where the school is located, say that students who survived the tragedy including friends and family members have still not been able to come to terms with the terrible loss. Abhinash Chaudhary, 12, a student of Hill Bird School, remembers his three friends who were killed in the accident. He says he constantly remembers his classmates Diwash Shrestha, 12, Deepa Subedi, 12, and Rimu Subedi, 10, and has no place to pour the immense grief of having to lose three of his most closet friends.

"Diwas was my closest friend among the three. He used to come over to my house and I also used to go to his house regularly. No matter how hard I try I am still not able to accept the loss of my best friends," he says in a sad tone.

Abhinash had wanted to go to the picnic with his friends, but had to remain in his home after his parents didn't give him the permission for it.

Similarly, Prajwal Rupakheti, 14, a seventh grader at the school, also lost his close friend Elina Acharya, 12.

"I can't believe that she (Elina) is no more. I think that she is somewhere around and would come to meet me," he says.

A report published in today's edition of the Kathmandu Post states that last Thursday's fatal accident has spread fear and anxiety among those who survived the tragedy. It said the many of these students have not slept well in the last two days and are haunted by the tragedy in which they lost their friends and teachers right in front of their eyes.

In a statement issued Saturday, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav said he was stunned by the road accident that took place in Nawalparai and said it was an irreparable loss to the concerned family and school as well as country and society. He wished for the eternal peace of departed souls and speedy recovery of those injured being treated in various hospitals. nepalnews.com ag Dec 14 08