Student unions announce fresh protest against fees hike by private schools; Education Minister directs local representatives to act tough against private schools

Kathmandu / Apr 24: A joint student unions’ meeting has announced programmes of fresh protests against the decision of private schools to increase fees in the academic session.

A meeting of the union held at the Bagbazar-based office of All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) accused private schools of rising fees, in violation of the Institutional School Fees Criteria Directives – 2072 BS, according to ANNFSU acting president Mahesh Bartaula. The union has sought the withdrawal of the decision.

Submitting a memorandum to this regard to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to picketing of the Department of Education have been scheduled in the list of protest programmes beginning from tomorrow, Wednesday.

A memorandum to be handed to the Prime Minister will incorporate the demands for allocating a 20 per cent budget to the education sector in the new budget speech, government intervention in the fees increase by private schools and implementation of the constitutional provision for free school-level education.

Education Minister directs local representatives to act tough against private schools

Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel on Tuesday directed local level representatives in Kathmandu to coming tough against private schools charging fees unilaterally.

He also recommended action against those private schools charging fees by violating the Institutional School Fees Criteria Directives, 2072. “The federal government is with the local levels against such schools defying the Directives,” said the Minister at a discussion with the people representatives in the Ministry.

Minister Pokharel said policies, laws and plans are afoot in upgrading education in community schools, a need for enhancing country’s education as a whole, and other necessary model laws in relation to education would be made to keep up with the federal setup.

Likewise, Secretary Khagraj Baral stressed the need for implementing right to education in coordination with all local, provincial and federal governments. RSS