Root of Problem

By: Prem Prasad Sigdel

A medium sized private school located at the suburb area of Kathmandu City, capital city of Nepali. Four people are sitting inside principal’s room: one is principal, Pritam and others are peons (aayas). It is raining outside and the climate is somehow warm-cold as it is rainy season.

Pritam: (Dial telephone and a woman at the door). You three sisters can come here. I have to talk to you.

(All of them come after sometimes. They take seat, two of them at the front of the Principal’s chair and one of them is at the left side sofa.)

Pritam: (Not looking towards them, seems busy of doing some table work). What’s happening these days. I can’t stand it. The system has been degrading. (Pointing to the left side sister). You have spoken with the guardian giving the detail that school had made you work. So the child became wounded.

Sunita: I didn’t mean so. The guardian treats us like a friend thus I dealt her in the same way.

Rammaya: (Some facial gestures only she is listening to others).

Renu: (Smiling only).

Pritam: You have told that you have to work in the ground. I don’t know whose duty was that? May be I have done wrong of asking you to work yesterday. I told that one of you could go to classroom and there is complain today.

Sunita: It happened two or three days before. The miss was busy in the class. Either she did homework or she was busy on cell phone. So it was the fault of the miss.

Renu: Yes, this is the situation.

Pritam: (Giving order) Go and call that miss, Renu.

(Renu goes down to call Miss Sarita and she comes to the office room as Renu stays in the class).

Sunita: I told that one of us should go to class as you told but they didn’t listen to me. (Signaling to other two sisters).

Pritam: (Angrily). What happened miss in class? Why is there complain all the time? How was the boy hurt?

Sarita: (Speaking nervously and angrily). I haven’t done that. The sisters were out so the incident would happen. Sir always blames us only.

Pritam: (To sisters). Listen! She has also same complain what I told you yesterday.

Sarita: (clatteringly). It’s common that the students are too much naughty. I hadn’t seen that he had got Ludo in his hand. When Supriya wanted he didn’t give her and they fought. I didn’t know that.

Pritam: (Angrily). You try to seem dry over water. You want to shift blame to others. You are the responsible person in the class so I should ask to you. I don’t know other things. I have seen that your students are always making noise and they always sit in a mess. You have been seen on mobile when the class was over.

Sarita: (Low voice). When do you see me on mobile?

Pritam: I have seen you many times. You must be serious when there is class and it’s your duty to control all the students. And you should report if the sisters don’t help you.

(Pritam told Sarita to go to classroom. Renu enters into the office room. Mr Jhalak and Saugat, vice-principal also enter into the room. Jhalak sits towards left side sofa and Saugat sits towards right side.)

Pritam: (Being serious). There is something missing everywhere. I have realized it that for the last two months there was no system at all. Some disturbance is there due to construction work. But I can’t know, what is missing where?

Renu: (Speaking in a sinking voice). If you have seen our fault, we can get job anywhere. May be we have to wait for some months, may be two or three.

Sunita: (Supporting Renu). I can also get job anywhere may be I have to wait for two to three months.

Jhalak: (In a commanding voice). You shouldn’t say so. You have to follow the duty what you have been given. If you say so it would be against of the rule of the organization….

Pritam: (Signing Jhalak to stop). How do you draw the negative meaning only? If you go somewhere, can you get job without working? If you leave here, you should be remembered by us forever so that your skill is tested.

Renu: (In a sinking voice). I am the oldest in this institution. I think I have been doing better.

Saugat: It doesn’t mean that who is old or new staff. You should follow the duty. You shouldn’t say so and we also don’t say that you can’t get job anywhere.

Pritam: (Assuring). You shouldn’t say so. If you go to new place, you are new there, what will be your position? If you can’t do good here, how can the new employer think that you can perform well?

Sunita: (Being emotional). I didn’t do mistake. If there is mistaken, I didn’t mind what you tell. Last time I was staying in the canteen because I have stomach ache. I went there to take hot water. But the condition of the school is being bad. The teachers have shifted their duty to one another… (pause)

Pritam: Who is that?

Renu: (Laughing). All of them are same.

Sunita: …. The construction work is going on. Parents complain each day and we have consulted them as the construction work is going on. (Being even more emotional). I am telling you honestly that the situation is bad. If it will be same in the future, your investment is going waste. You have invested so much money. If you can’t improve the situation, it will be bad. So you need to think on time. I think that all the parents have paid money for their children and I think same like me and do the work.

Pritam: (Being serious). So I have been telling the same thing that the situation is being bad. I call you here to discuss about that. You should give us information duly so that we can implement new programs and policies.

(Pritam told them to go out and three sisters have gone out)

Jhalak: (Being joyous). Do you know? We can understand the root of problem from peons.

Pritam: So I called them here to talk. I have done it when I have seen problems in school.