Kathmandu: Nepal Teachers’ Federation has threatened to launch fresh protests due to its doubts about the government’s recent policies and programmes, and suspects that their concern will not be addressed in the School Education Bill.
This followed a week after the federation withdrew the month-long protest after they reached a consensus with the government of Nepal, local media reported Thursday.
The recently released policies and programme of the Nepal government stated about the partnership to be established between private and public schools to improve the quality of state-funded schools, and also on the harmonisation of curriculum between the two types of schools.
The federation has expressed its doubts particularly on these two policies and stated that the partnership policy is demeaning to public schools, the leading Nepali daily, The Kathmandu Post, reported.
“By mentioning harmonisation in the curriculum, the education ministry has demonstrated its lack of knowledge about the country’s education system,” the federation said.
Reports further suggest that the federation raised doubts about whether the teachers’ concerns would be incorporated in the bill, and suspects that the final bill might not carry through past agreements reached with the government.
Meanwhile, the federation issued a warning stating that any conspiracy or obstruction in the promulgation of the School Education Act per the agreements will lead to a stern protest.
“The federation is continuously monitoring to ensure that a progressive law is passed on time and includes all past agreements,” reads the statement.
Last week, the federation called off their protest, agreeing on a nine-point deal following marathon meetings with the government.
“We have decided to suspend the educational strike following the Cabinet’s decision to implement our demands and commitment from the major parties as well as the chair of the education committee to get the bill endorsed by June 29,” said federation chair Laxmi Kishor Subedi at a press meet after the withdrawal of the protest.
The teacher’s demonstrations and sit-ins in the Maitighar-Naya Baneshwor area of Kathmandu since April 2 had severely disrupted the national enrollment drive, delayed key academic tasks, such as evaluating answer sheets from the recently held Secondary Education Examination (SEE), and postponement of grade 12 examination.
IANS
