Kathmandu, April 22
The Nepal Teachers’ Federation has strongly objected to what it describes as threats and undue pressure being placed on educators to participate in the upcoming Grade 12 examinations, despite ongoing protests.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Federation claimed that headteachers and teachers assigned to examination centers across the country have received threats from officials of the National Examination Board (NEB) and district administration offices. The alleged threats are reportedly aimed at ensuring the exams, scheduled to begin on April 24 (Baisakh 11), proceed as planned.
The Federation, which has been staging a protest in Kathmandu for the past 21 days, reiterated its call for all school principals, teachers, and staff to boycott the examination process entirely. It warned that participation under duress would undermine the ongoing movement for educational reform and workers’ rights.
Federation Chair Laxmi Kishor Subedi and General Secretary Tul Bahadur Thapa urged exam center heads designated for Grade 12 exams to leave their posts and join the demonstrations in Kathmandu. They stressed that the teachers’ community remained unified in their demands and would not yield to intimidation.
Despite the mounting pressure and absence of teacher cooperation, the National Examination Board has announced it will move forward with the exams. A board meeting held Tuesday morning concluded that the exams would be conducted on schedule using “all available mechanisms,” even without the direct involvement of teachers and school staff.
With only two days remaining until the start of the exams, the uncertainty has left students and parents anxious, as the standoff between the government and protesting teachers continues.
