Kathmandu, October 6

School Management Committee Federation of Nepal today appealed to the government and agitating political parties to create conditions for resuming classes in 20 Tarai districts currently affected by the ongoing strikes and blockade.

Issuing a press statement, SMC Federation of Nepal today said that as many as 2.2 million children have been deprived of education since the past 54 days due to the agitation by Madhes-based parties in the Tarai districts. It said the government should take initiatives to resume classes and urged the agitating parties not to obstruct academic activities.

“The agitating political parties have the right to put forth their demands, but they should not force closure of schools depriving tens of thousands of students of their right to education.”

It further said that academic institutions should lobby the Ministry of Education and the Department of Education to exert pressure on the political parties to reopen schools that have been forcibly closed by the agitating parties in the Tarai.

Yesterday, Guardians, PABSON, NPABSAN and HISSAN had drawn the attention of the National Human Rights Commission towards the closure of schools in the Tarai. They asked the NHRC to draw the attention of international organisations towards the issue.