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| Kathmandu, Friday June 27, 2003 Ashadh 13, 2060. |
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Talks to resolve private
schools’ lock out today
Post Report
KATHMANDU, June 26 : The group of seven striking
student organisations, Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation of Nepal (PABSON),
National Private and Boarding Schools’ Association of Nepal (N-PABSAN) and the
Ministry of Education and Sports are meeting here on Friday to resolve the students’
demands over reduction in fees charged by private schools.
"Let’s hope something will come out of
the talks tomorrow," said Umesh Shrestha, president of PABSON, which took the
initiative for holding the talks.
He said that PABSON is very positive about today’s
informal talks with the concerned groups.
Guru Raj Ghimire, president of Nepal Students’
Union (NSU), one of the seven striking student organisations said that PABSON has
"informally" invited the seven student organisations for the talks scheduled for
tomorrow at Vishwa Niketan School here.
Meanwhile, PABSON, N-PABSAN, the Ministry of
Education and the striking students today debated on possible solutions to the demands put
forth by the student groups, during an interaction held by the Education Journalists’
Group here.
Laba Prasad Tripathee, spokesperson at the
Ministry of Education and Sports said the talks would take place tomorrow afternoon.
The student organisations have since Monday
forcefully locked up principals’ offices and account sections of several private
schools across the country, demanding reduction in school fees. They have also demanded
free education in public schools up to the secondary level.
They locked up nine more schools in the Capital
today demanding the same. The schools include St Xavier’s School, St Mary’s High
School, Daffodils Public School, Baba Boarding, EPS, Nobel Academy, and New Summit School.
"So long as the state continues to exist,
there cannot be arbitrary fee structure in two private schools nor can they enjoy any
full-fledged autonomy," Rajendra Rai, president of All Nepal National Free Students’
Union (ANNFSU) said.
Presenting his paper and a case study of
Mahendra Bhawan Girls’ Higher Secondary Boarding School, Rajan Sharma, advisor of the
Education Journalists’ Group said that a number of reports commissioned by various
committees have been confined to the dustbin by the Education Ministry. "The latter
did not bother to implement them, leading to this problem."
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