'Students must be kept occupied while teachers are busy on the street protesting'
KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 21
While teachers across the country are in Kathmandu protesting against the School Education Bill, 2023, around seven million students' fundamental right enshrined in Article 31 of the constitution - Right to Education - has been encroached.
The demonstration led by the umbrella organisation of teachers, Nepal Teachers' Federation, has picked up pace from yesterday. This has caused tremendous trouble for the general public. However, this is nothing compared to students being deprived of their constitutionally guaranteed right.
The protest has disturbed the studies of seven million students in 34,000 schools, including 6,000 private schools. Over 20 per cent of the pupils are enrolled in private schools.
Issuing a press statement today, the National Human Rights Commission requested the concerned parties to be sensitive to students' right to education.
The Commission has stated that schools have been closed indefinitely and education has been interrupted, thus, violating the children's right to education in a peaceful environment.
"The declaration of school as 'peace zone' has been directly affected by such protests, according to NHRC.
Although it is rightful to fight for the human rights of teachers, to put forth demands, express their opinions and demonstrate peacefully, teachers should be aware of the rights of others while exercising their rights," it said.
"The Commission urges the agitating parties to be aware of the rights of others while exercising their rights, respect human rights, put forth their demands, and find alternatives other than shutting schools to fulfil demands," reads the statement issued by Spokesperson of NHRC Tikaram Pokharel. The Commission has asked the agitating party to resolve the problem through dialogue and be aware that a violent situation may arise in the course of the agitation.
Similarly, experts have said that students must be kept busy with study as the protest continues.
"There are a couple of ways that we can follow to keep the pupils busy. For example, we are supposed to tell the teachers that 90 per cent of the classes shouldn't be disturbed even if they go on strike.
This is a system followed by Spain, Italy and Germany. So, could we follow this?" said educationalist Professor Bidhyanath Koirala.
Prof Koirala further said, "The second way we can suggest is, if you have another business, why don't you talk to the senior students and teach junior students? We can also keep them busy with assignments."
The Commission has also requested the government to make the law related to school education up-to-date and address the just demands raised by teachers' community, including the Nepal Teachers' Federation with sufficient discussion and consultation with the relevant parties in the lawmaking process.
Similarly, Dr Koirala said the genuine demands put forth by teachers' confederation must be fulfilled as they're just, and it's their right. "Teachers have kept authentic demands regarding salaries, going under lowest units of the government, among others. These aspects need to be thoroughly discussed and addressed by the related ministries," said Koirala.
"The protest sparked within no time because the earlier government had addressed the demands of the private sector in a short span of time. However, teachers' demands are still in limbo after several commitments.
Therefore, their proper demands should be immediately incorporated in the Bill by holding negotiation and discussion."
A version of this article appears in the print on September 22, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
