Kathmandu braces for teachers’ protest ahead of annual examinations

KATHMANDU: Teachers and school staff across the country have left their classrooms for Kathmandu ahead of the final examinations for various grades, including the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), to put pressure on the government for early passage of the School Education Bill and implement previous agreements reached with them.

National Teachers Federation (NTF) has issued a circular to its members to attend a protest meet in Kathmandu on March 8. In the circular signed by NTF Chairperson Laxmi Kishor Subedi, the NTF has allocated a specific number of participants, with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 1,000 teachers, for all 77 districts to ensure the participation of at least 36,000 teachers. All teachers and schools in the Kathmandu Valley have also been instructed to join the protests.

Subedi said that the protest is aimed at improving the quality of education and ensuring the rights and welfare of teachers. He called for unity among teachers, students, parents, and stakeholders to support the movement.

Nanumaya Parajuli, vice chairperson of NTF, said that the protest will not stop until the government addresses their demands.

A week-long protest led by the NTB in September 2023 resulted in an agreement with the government. Teachers, however, claim that the government has failed to implement the agreement.

Gangaram Tiwari, chairperson of the Nepal School Employees Council, said it has become necessary to put pressure on the government to enact the School Education Bill.

The federation has warned of stronger protests after March 8 if the government fails to address their demands. They have also criticized Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal for what they describe as disrespectful and undemocratic remarks about teachers.

Educationist Prof Dr Bidyanath Koirala has urged the NTF to reconsider its approach. He suggested that instead of focusing solely on protests, NTB should seek solutions through dialogue and consensus. “What we need is a clear framework based on the constitution, education policy, and past agreements to address the issues,” Koirala said, criticizing the NTF for opting for street protests, which, he believes, will not yield concrete results.

Meanwhile, Ammar Bahadur Thapa, the chairperson of the Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee of the House of Representatives, has said that the Bill has been delayed due to the illness of Minister for Education, Science and Technology Bidya Bhattarai. “Discussions on the bill could not proceed in the minister’s absence,” Thapa said. “The bill would be passed quickly once political parties reach a consensus.”

Thapa also said protests alone will not achieve anything.