Non-teaching staffers cry foul

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Nepal School Employees’ Union (NSEU) central ad-hoc committee today demanded that the government provide community school employees with pays and perks equal to that of teachers.

Organising a press conference here today, NSEU said the Education Act -1971 had envisioned equal pay and perks for teachers and non-teaching school staff, but the amended act has discriminated against the latter.

Surendra Prasad Kanu, president, NSEU, said the government had treated school teachers and employees on an equal footing, but the Ministry of Education was now trying to create a gap between teaching and non-teaching staff.

He said, “Though we have made equal contribution for social and political movement in the country, we have been discriminated.”

Kamal Prasad Khatiwada, general secretary, NSEU, said, “We had filed a case at the Supreme Court against such bias in 2007.”

He said the court gave a verdict on employees’ side on December 9, 2010 with directive to the ministry to form a three-member committee and submit a Service Law report mentioning the pays and facilities to school employees within six months.

“The MoE formed the committee under the coordination of Laba Dev Awasthi on September 27, 2011. The panel is preparing its report,” he added.

Section 23 (A) of the sixth amendment to the education regulation has not clearly mentioned about the employees’ service, pays and perks, he said, adding that this smacks of vested interest.

Advocate Kosh Raj Kafle said section 23 (A) of the regulation has authorised schools to prepare the guidelines for school employees’ service, pays and perks. NSEU will move the SC demanding annulment of this provision, Kafle said.

He said, “The state should look after school employees; an individual has no right to decide on the pays and perks of the employees.”

Citing government records, Kafle said there are around 33,000 non-teaching staff throughout the country.