KATHMANDU: A family in Kathmandu has alleged that their daughter suffered severe psychological trauma following incidents of alleged mistreatment at Budhanilkantha School, leaving the child unable to continue her studies or live a normal daily life.
The girl, whose identity is being withheld due to her age, had long dreamed of studying at the prestigious school.
While taking her Grade 4 final examination at Valley View English School in Mid-Baneshwor, she set her sights on securing admission to Budhanilkantha School, encouraged by peers who were preparing for the same path.
According to the family, she ranked second in the highly competitive entrance examination held on April 7, 2023. Her parents, who describe themselves as middle-class, say they invested their savings and hopes into securing what they believed would be a brighter future for their daughter.
However, the family now claims that the experience became deeply traumatic.
Family alleges mistreatment inside school
According to the child’s mother, Sabitra Ghimire, the problems began after senior students allegedly forced the girl to watch a horror movie, after which she started displaying signs of fear and anxiety.
The mother further alleges that instead of receiving psychosocial support, her daughter later faced physical and emotional mistreatment from two teachers at the school.
In social media posts and public statements, Ghimire has accused the teachers of isolating, intimidating, verbally abusing and physically handling her daughter inside the classroom.
According to the family, the child’s condition deteriorated over time and she began repeatedly losing consciousness inside school premises from May 12 onward. The family says school authorities informed them only after repeated incidents.
Medical findings point to psychological trauma, family claims
Seeking treatment, the family took the child to multiple medical institutions including neurological and pediatric facilities in Kathmandu.
According to the mother, medical examinations did not identify any major physical illness. Instead, doctors reportedly linked her symptoms to severe psychological distress and diagnosed a condition resembling conversion disorder.
Conversion disorder, medically known as Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FND), is a condition in which psychological stress may manifest as physical symptoms affecting movement, consciousness, sensation, or memory.
The family claims the child now experiences episodes of fainting, temporary loss of body movement and memory disturbances, making regular schooling impossible.
She has reportedly been enrolled at another school but remains unable to attend classes consistently due to her condition.
School denies allegations
The family alleges that despite receiving concerns from medical professionals, Budhanilkantha School did not take disciplinary action against the teachers involved.
The case was later reported to child protection authorities and the Ministry of Education.
The child’s mother has also raised concerns regarding the school administration’s response.
Speaking in an interview broadcast on News24 Television, school principal Keshar Bahadur Khulal stated that the incident took place before he assumed his current role and said he had limited knowledge of earlier developments.
Khulal said that after the matter reached him, an investigation committee including parents was formed and concluded that allegations against the teachers could not be verified.
He also acknowledged that the child herself was not interviewed during the internal investigation process.
Questions raised over investigation process
According to the family, a complaint was submitted to the National Child Rights Council, which referred the matter to Maharajgunj Police Circle for investigation.
The mother alleges that police initially declined to register a formal complaint and only proceeded after intervention from the District Government Attorney’s Office.
She further claims that despite the complaint being officially registered on Baisakh 7, 2083 BS, no meaningful progress has been communicated to the family.
Mother calls for public accountability
Frustrated by what she describes as institutional silence, the mother has publicly challenged school authorities to participate in an open discussion and respond to her allegations with evidence.
She has also questioned whether sufficient mechanisms exist to protect children from harm within educational institutions.
The case has renewed discussion around student safety, mental health support, accountability mechanisms in schools, and the responsibilities of educational institutions when allegations involving children emerge.
At present, the family says they continue to seek justice and long-term support for their daughter’s recovery.
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