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Pay education tax: PM tells school owners

KATHMANDU, JAN 13 -
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has urged private school operators to pay the education tax or suggest an alternative if they were not satisfied with the taxation.

Addressing the inaugural session during the fifth convention of the Higher Secondary School’s Association Nepal (HISSAN) in the Capital on Friday, Bhattarai claimed the purpose of imposing the education tax was to improve the quality of education for the poor by spending the collection on building basic infrastructures in community schools.

He criticised the private sector saying that its protest against the education tax had hampered the government’s plan to promote education in rural areas. “In order to develop an equitable society, the government raises tax from entrepreneurs to spend it for the poor’s welfare. So it’s a duty of the private sector to cooperate,” Bhattarai said.

He also expressed dissatisfaction at the two types of education imparted in the country and emphasised the need for a drastic change in the situation.

At the programme, private school owners criticised the government’s fiat to run primary- and secondary-level classes in all Higher Secondary Schools by 2013 as envisioned by the School Sector Reform Plan. They said the rule will shut the schools which are running only Plus Two classes at present. “The policy is faulty since it is in the interest of donor agencies,” said HISSAN General Secretary Yubaraj Sharma.

Various education experts urged the government to come up with an appropriate policy to govern the higher education sector and promote vocational and technical education.

The two-day convention, attended by more than 600 representatives from higher secondary schools across the county, will elect a 25-member central committee for a three-year term.

Posted on: 2012-01-14 09:39

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