Kathmandu, April 16
Despite the government’s decision to convene the budget session of Parliament on April 25 to address ongoing protests by teachers, the Nepal Teachers’ Federation remains skeptical. The Cabinet meeting held at Baluwatar on Sunday recommended summoning the session at 1 PM, aiming to resolve the prolonged agitation.
The government has pledged to address the teachers’ demands, including the prompt enactment of the Education Act. However, Federation leaders, including vice-chairperson and protest committee coordinator Nanumaya Parajuli, expressed distrust in the government’s intention. “They say the Act will be tabled, but there’s no guarantee. It might take over a month just to appoint the chair of the subject committee,” said Parajuli, warning the government aims to send them back empty-handed.
For the past two weeks, thousands of teachers have been staging a strike in Kathmandu, demanding education-friendly legislation. The protest has disrupted school enrollments, SEE results processing, and upcoming Grade 12 exams.
While the government claims it is committed to fulfilling the demands, the Federation plans to release an official statement after internal discussions. With no resolution yet, the deadlock threatens to prolong disruptions in Nepal’s education system.
