Thirty-two Nepali students who were stranded in St Lucia have sought help of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for their repatriation.

The IOM office in Kathmandu on Monday confirmed that the organization has been making best efforts to assist their return “soonest possible”.

Around 60 Nepali students were smuggled into the island nation with “made-up” enrolment at Lambirds Academy based in a town of Gros Islet for February intake. Eighteen women have returned to  Nepal so far.

Sarika Thapa, assistant to the Chief of Mission in Nepal, told the Post that 32 students have requested for the IOM intervention and that the office is arranging for their return.

“We are making best efforts to assist their return soonest possible. We are screening the documentation,” said Thapa.

The St Lucian government has shut down the academy since the incident appeared in the media and charged its officials with human trafficking and money laundering case. Education consultancies in Nepal, who had sent the students to the Carribbean nation, said that the students are waiting for a court hearing scheduled for April 10.

Students are reported to have run out of money and are being assisted by sympathetic St Lucians, and the Roman Catholic Pastoral Center.

They had paid up to Rs 2 million each for admission to the college on promise that their credits would be transferred to its US-based college after a year.

Published on: 31 March 2015 | The Kathmandu Post