Kathmandu, March 16:

Blockades and bandhs called by the Maoists in the name of the poor and the youths will eventually hamper the latter, Minister of Education and Sports said at a function held to distribute scholarship to two Dalit students on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan today.

“”The movement targeted against 3.5 lakh students is not justifiable.”

“Targeting education and the children will only push the country further backward,” said Mainali, adding: “Bombing of educational institutes and turning the educational institutes into a war zone will put the future of the nation at stake.”

Marking the 50 anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan, Global Intercultural Association (GIA) and Himalayan Intercultural Association (HIA) provided scholarship to two students, Suman Bishwokarma of Bharhabise VDC and Sudarshan Nepali of Maneshwara VDC of Sindupalchowk district.

Hiroshi Jingu, Head of the Mission at the Japanese Embassy, said the continued support by Japan and the Japanese individuals in the field of education, health and in improving the living standards of the people living in remote areas will play be instrumental in promoting the relations between Nepal and Japan. Japan has been providing funds for Education For All programmes, improving physical infrastructure of schools and in poverty alleviation programmes.

Sanjib Sharma, the HIA treasurer, said the association, assisted by Japanese individuals and the GIA, has been providing scholarships to two students from the Dalit community living in remote areas each year for the last three years. The students will get free education from nursery to grade 12.

“Due to financial constraints we have concentrated only on Sindhupalchowk district,” Sharma said, adding: “We will cover other remote areas of the country if we get more funds,” said Sharma.