Govt, school teachers ink 7-point agreement, teachers getting back to work

The government and agitating school teachers observed decisive talks on Friday by signing a seven-point agreement. Teachers from across the country had launched the Kathmandu-centric mass protest beginning on Wednesday, expressing concerns over the Federal Education Bill-2080 BS presented recently in the federal parliament.

According to Minister for Information and Communications and government Spokesperson, Rekha Sharma, through the agreement reached between the two sides in presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, the government assured that it would facilitate to get the demands of Nepal Teachers’ Federation regarding the Bill addressed by avoiding any inconsistency with the Constitution.

With this development, community school teachers and employees from various districts who are presently in the federal capital to take part in the agitation will get back to respective schools, according to the Minister. She however reminded that the constitutional provision about the operation of schools under the local level is presently undeniable by any law.

Stating that the Bill that has already been presented to the sovereign parliament would not be withdrawn, the Minister said the government is positive for facilitating to make it highly acceptable and adjustable during the implementation phase. It may be noted that acting Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Purna Bahadur Khadka, on Friday morning directed the government talks team to try its best to reach conclusion on Friday itself.

At the call of the Federation, community teachers and employees had arrived here for the protests against some provisions in the Bill that was presented in the House of Representatives on September 13. The Federation demanded that the authority to transfer, promote and take action against teachers should not be given to the local level. They presented a charter of 17-point demand, including trade union rights to the teachers.