KATHMANDU: Discussions on the School Education Bill, 2024, are progressing rapidly in a sub-committee under the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee of the House of Representatives.
According to a member of the subcommittee, discussions on 95 sections of the Bill had already been completed as of Thursday. “Out of 1,758 proposed amendments, we have held discussions on 1,250. Today, we have begun discussions on Chapter Five,” the member added.
This chapter covers provisions related to the formation of school teacher service, teacher classification and ranking, pay scales, transfers and position adjustments, appointment procedures, qualification requirements, disqualification criteria and probationary periods.
According to the member, discussions on provisions related to private schools will begin on Thursday. The member added that the committee is working to prepare the Bill for presentation during the upcoming budget session. “We are working to ensure that the Bill is presented in the budget session,” the member said. Teachers demanding immediate enactment of the Bill must understand that legal procedures must be followed properly.”
Meanwhile, Speaker Devraj Ghimire’s recent statement that the Bill wouldn’t be tabled in the budget session has infuriated teachers. The member, however, said that the Speaker likely meant that this session primarily focuses on budget matters. “But it doesn’t mean that other bills won’t be considered at all. Our sub-committee is continuing discussions while the secretariat prepares reports,” the member added.
The sub-committee will also address 24 key points submitted by the Confederation of Nepali Teachers (CNT), which has been protesting in Kathmandu since April 2.
The 11-member sub-committee, formed under the CPN-UML lawmaker Chhabilal Vishwakarma, has been given 35 days to finalize the Bill. It will have to prepare its report within the next 17 days.
CNT President Laxmi Kishor Suvedi vowed to continue protests until the bill’s passage is guaranteed: “We won’t accept empty promises. We’ll only return after securing the education act,” he added.
The ongoing protests have created uncertainty around the Grade 12 final examinations, scheduled to begin next week. Approximately 550,000 students are preparing for the examination, according to National Examination Board Chairperson Dr Mahashram Sharma.
