Kavre, September 29:

The Kavre district chapters of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Teachers’ Association (ANTA) and Educational Republican Forum (ERF) have announced a joint programme of shutting down schools and calling phased strikes in the educational sector.

The central committees of both the bodies, saying that the Education Ministry must implement an agreement reached between the government, political parties and

them, have put up a 24-point charter of demands calling for a solution

to the problems of teachers. They said that the agitation will go on unless the demands are met.

The organisations have called for implementation of the agreement reached with temporary teachers and other staff, revocation of the handing over of schools to communities and sending teachers from urban areas to rural areas, among others.

Under the phased agitation, all schools in the district will remain closed tomorrow. On Monday and Tuesday, the organisations will boycott programmes of the district education office. On Wednesday and Thursday they will resort to “chalk down”. On Friday, they will stage a silent protest with black banners but conduct classes, while on Saturday, they will stage a bell rally in the district headquarters.

District president of the ANTA, DS Lama, said the agitation will be extended to Kathmandu after the Tihar festival.