Closure mockery of govt decision
- 3rd since May 26 declaration of schools as peace zone
In yet another blow to the government’s decision to establish schools as a peace zone, an umbrella organisation of teachers’ unions shut down all state-owned and private schools across the Valley on Friday. Schools from the pre-primary to the higher secondary level closed down at the call of the UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated Nepal Educational Republican Forum (NERF), forcing thousands of students to stay home.
This is the third time that schools in Kathmandu Valley have shut down since the May 26 government declaration of the education sector as a zone of peace, and the first time across the country. On May 27, just a day after the government decision, the Temporary Teachers’ Struggle Committee closed the schools, while NERF did so on June 13.
According to data at Department of Education, over 6.4 million students are studying in some 33,000 public schools across the country, while data at Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation, Nepal (Pabson) and (Npabsan) show that around 3 million students are studying in 9,500 primary, 8000 in secondary and 1,500 in higher secondary schools across the country.
“The innocent students have nothing to do with NERF and the act of violating their right to education is regrettable,” said Prasansa Dahal, a seventh grader at Child Nature School in Bhaktapur. “The agitators should seek other ways to protest.”
NERF has put forth a ten-point charter of demands and upped the pressure on the government and private school owners to implement past agreements. It has also demanded that the government declare teachers and employees who were killed during the decade-long conflict martyrs and give permanent status to temporary teachers. NERF has sought formation of a high-level panel to execute a new education policy and provision of quotas for higher secondary school teachers and their training. The forum is also demanding pay and perks of private school teachers and provident fund on par with their government school counterparts. Stating that the government is in the process of introducing a new act to address the demands, Education Minister Ganga Lal Tuladhar termed the strike immature and irresponsible.
“The cabinet has passed the new Act and we are in the process of tabling it in the parliament,” said Shanker Pandey, Spokesperson at Ministry of Education. “The shutdown call is against the government’s effort to establish the education sector as a peace zone.” The private schools’ association also termed NERF’ step irresponsible. “Its mother organisation is in the government but it is flouting the peace zone decision. It’s ridiculous,” said Pabson General Secretary Bijay Sambahamphe. “Problems can be sorted out through talks.”
However, NERF pointed to the government and private school operators’ reluctance to address its demands as the reason for the strike. “We took the decision as a last resort as both the government and schools’ associations have long been turning a deaf ear to our call to implement past agreements,” said NERF Chairman Guna Raj Lohani.
Punish those in textbook scam: Minister
Education Minister Ganga Lal Tuladhar on Friday directed the secretary at the ministry to initiate action against all those involved in the textbook scam. The Minister was acting on the recommendation of a probe committee. The committee formed by the ministry has concluded that Rs 730,000,000 was misused while distributing text book for students. The committee led by former Education Secretary Jayaram Giri submitted the report to the minister on Friday. “I have directed the secretary to take action against those involved in the scam. None of the accused should be let free,” Tuladhar said after receiving the report. The ministry had formed the nine-member committee after receiving complaints that government officials gobbled up a large amount of money allocated for text books.
Posted on: 2011-07-09 08:03
Post Your Comment
Today's Paper
The Kantipur in Print
FROM THE PAST 7 DAYS
ENTER KEYWORD OR DATE
FROM THE PAST 7 DAYS
ENTER KEYWORD OR DATE
Abin
All of them discussed the issue. The result was the same...and we have committed to continue discussions on the issue till midnight.
ADVERTISEMENTS
OUR PUBLICATION :
