Since the inauguration of Malagiri school in 2011 it has brought many benefits to local families. The pressures of survival are eased as working families know their children are being cared for and are receiving an education.

Teacher is writing on the board children are standing or sitting watching .A child has her hand ready to answer a question. The room is decorated with colourful crafts and posters.
Children sit on cushions beside benches to eat their school breakfast of corn porridge. The children wear various warm outer clothes, hats, coats and jumpers because the morning is cold.

The school day begins at 8.00 am when the children arrive to wash and prepare themselves for breakfast at 8.30. At 9.00 they have an assembly, followed by a full and varied day ahead. The school has 4 classes: nursery; Lower Kindergarten; Upper Kindergarten; and Grade One.

The local language in Malagiri is Tamang which is only used by about 5% of the population in Nepal therefore it is important for our school to teach the official language which is Nepali. English is also taught for further education and many work opportunities especially tourism.

Class one are sitting on their classroom floor cutting out drawings of fruit that they have made for an art project. The children are in neat uniforms but all have bare feet, because the room is cold two children have hats on.
Using scissors for an art project
A female teacher is sitting on the class room floor with different coloured paints arranged in front of her. Teacher is helping a young girl with a painted palm to press her hand to a piece of paper.
Hand printing
A group of six children are clustered around a globe, their hands are touching the globe with fingers spread. They are looking at it intently with pleasure and fascination.
Learning with a Globe

Each teacher is responsible for their own class throughout the day and the routine is prepared by the teacher according to their class needs. Teaching plans can include a mix of subjects from Nepali, English, number, Montessori materials, yoga, meditation, drawing, painting, story time, games and sports, dance, singing and rhymes to enhance the learning potential. Rote learning is also used as appropriate.

Whilst sitting on the floor, teacher stretches up and points to the writing on the board. There are ten fruit models on the floor. The children are looking at the English names of the fruit on the board.
The children are learning about types of fruit and English language.
Seven children are sitting on the floor, one child points to the top of a tower she has built, the other children are looking with interest and concentration.
Montessori stacking cubes
Eight girls in colourful traditional costumes are giving a dance performance in the playground for their parents who sit watching.
Dancing for fun and performance is popular in Nepali culture

Since receiving a Montessori training, teachers use specialised accessories in the lessons.
Head teacher Gautam explains:

“The children use this equipment by first touching and feeling it with their hands. They explore the shape, size, texture, and weight. While doing this, they also try to guess what it is made of. This helps them develop their sense of touch and observation.

After exploring, they share with the teacher and other children what they have discovered—for example, the shape (whether it’s round, square, long, etc.), the material (wood, metal, plastic), and how it feels (smooth, rough, heavy, light). They even try to match or sort it with similar items on their own.

This process encourages independent thinking, language development, and hands-on learning. It also helps them to become more confident in expressing their ideas.”

Young children wearing hats and coats sit on the office floor, looking up at the laptop screen on the desk. They are watching cartoons; their teacher sits beside the laptop.
Watching cartoons
A group of children are busy on the path outside their classroom, they have arranged the shoes neatly beside the wall and are sweeping the path. One child is shaking the doormat.
Helping to clean the School
Three rows of children in blue track suit style uniform kneel at benches in a classroom. They are taking a written test on a sheet of paper. The school door is open to the fresh air there are trees outside.
Taking an end of term test

The children attend school six days per week and on Saturdays there will be a variety of creative activities, along with perhaps cartoons to watch on the school laptop and time helping to sweep and tidy the class area.

A boy stands beside a display of fruits and flowers, his teacher helps him to light incense as an offering. The rest of the class watch and wait for their turn.
Each year the children learn about Saraswati the Goddess of knowledge, education and the arts.
A mixed age group are working in pairs - one in child’s pose with forehead on the ground, the partner lying back to back and looking up.
Yoga practice, child’s pose and backbend
About fifty children are sitting grouped on mats in the playground. The roof of the school is blue like the sky, its walls are golden orange. Above them flutter strings of colourful Buddhist prayer flags.
Meditation practice

To follow the Nepali education system Malagiri school sets the children regular tests. Guidance including the rights of all children to an education is written in ‘State of Children in Nepal 2017’. Government of Nepal, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. Central Child Welfare Board’
While festivals at school mostly follow Hindu traditions, there is influence from Buddhism and Christianity in celebrations and in family practices. The teaching focus is on shared human values such as kindness, wisdom and respect for other faiths.

A class of young children some wearing hats and coats over their uniforms are seated on a mat in the playground working on colourful Nepali school textbooks.
Because the school has no heating, on a very cold but sunny day it is warmer to take the lesson outside.
A stream of children and adults climb a stony hillside, behind them is a view of different species of trees, laid out planting beds and small attractive buildings.
An outing for class 1 is a yearly event. After visiting this botanical garden everyone had a picnic.

Future continuing education opportunities for our students.

Former pupils can continue their education at the Shree Manakamana Basic School (grades 2-5) but for most of them the Shree Bageshwori Secondary School (grades 4-9) is more suitable because of the level they have already attained at Malagiri School. The Secondary headteacher has been particularly impressed with the progress of the pupils and has praised their creative approach to learning.