Kathmandu, December 25:

The Tribhuvan University Teachers’ Association (TUTA) said today it will stage pen-downs in all colleges in the Kathmandu Valley from Wednesday to Friday. It said the valley-wide strike is being called to protest the delay in the appointment of the vice-chancellor and other officials in the TU.

Shiva Prasad Munakarmi, the NUTA president, said in a press conference here that the government was not serious in appointing the VC and other officials of the university.

“The higher education sector, which produces skilled human resources, is not working properly due to the absence of officials. It may have a long-term effect on the education sector,” Munakarmi said.

Jaya Pathak, treasurer of the TUTA, accused the government of not giving priority to the appointment of members in the university.

“If the government appoints the VC along with other members within tomorrow, we will withdraw the protest,” said Dr Prakash Man Shrestha, a TUTA member.

Meanwhile, demanding the immediate appointment of vice-chancellor and other key officials in universities, the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) today organised a protest meet in front of all campuses of the Valley.

The students engaged in a clash with the police for an hour from 10 am as the police beat up Kiran Dhital, a Free Students’ Union member of the Ascol campus. Balgopal Upadhaya, an ANNFSU leader, said Dhital was thrashed this morning for setting the police van on fire on Friday.

The students burnt a government motorcycle, which was plying in front of the Ascol Campus. The student burnt tyres and chanted slogans in front of valley campuses, affecting the traffic for an hour in the morning.

“The government has taken our demand lightly,” he said, warning that it will be held responsible if any untoward incident occurs.