SURKHET: Works related to the appointment of teachers and preparations for the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) have been affected in Karnali Province due to the abrupt scrapping of the Education Development Directorate and Human Resources Development Center.
The scrapping of the key government offices three weeks ago has left students, teachers, and staff of educational offices in a state of confusion. This has also affected the appointment and deputation of 60 subject teachers recommended for appointment by the Teachers Service Commission. Likewise, the promotion of 3,285 secondary, lower secondary, and primary level teachers based on their work performance evaluation has also been affected.
The directorate was the nodal agency to conduct SEE in 10 districts of Karnali Province and five districts of Lumbini Province.
Dhal Bahadur Khatri, chairman of the Surkhet district committee of the Nepal Teachers’ Federation, said the appointment process of 60 teachers recommended by the Teachers’ Service Commission has been affected due to the scrapping of the directorate.
Lok Prasad Poudel, the information officer of the Education Development Directorate, Surkhet, said the scrapping of key agencies related to the education sector will have a long-term impact on overall educational development in the province. “There is no alternative to reinstatement of the directorate,” he added.
Yamlal Kandel, CPN-UML’s parliamentary party leader in Karnali Province Assembly, said the impractical decision of the provincial government should be withdrawn at the earliest.
Ghanashyam Bhandari, chairman of the Social Development Committee of the provincial assembly, said the provincial government has not been able to justify its decisions. “We had summoned Chief Minister Rajkumar Sharma and Minister for Social Development Khadga Bahadur Pokharel to discuss the matter. But they sent two secretaries to the meeting who couldn’t justify the decision,” Bhandari added.
