‘Education Bill undermines rights of local units’

KATHMANDU: Laxmidevi Pandey, the president of the Nepal Rural Municipalities Association, has expressed her dissatisfaction with the Bill to Amend and Consolidate Laws Related to the Education Sector, 2023, which is currently under consideration in parliament, arguing that the bill undermines the authority of local units in matters related to school education.

Speaking at an event organized to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child, Pandey reminded that the constitution has vested the exclusive right for school-level education in local units. “No one has the right to violate the constitution. The rights granted to local units by the constitution should not be undermined by any legislation,” she said, adding: “The federal government should also engage in consultation with us regarding issues related to our rights.”

Pandey also said the Confederation of Nepalese Teachers and other school teacher associations do not want school teachers to come under the jurisdiction of local units.

The Bill has been referred to the Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives for a clause-wise discussion.