Kathmandu, December 5:

With students’ protest against the Education Act Amendment Bill showing no signs of coming to an end, educationists today demanded that the government make some changes in the Education Act.

Baburam Adhikary, general secretary of the Nepal National Teachers’ Association (NNTA), said though the Act does not clearly state ‘automatic’ promotion of temporary teachers, it has closed the door for fresh graduates. “It is totally a political decision and has to be amended at all costs,” Adhikary said at an interaction at the Reporters’ Club.

Professor Dr Mana Prasad Wagley said those who entered the teaching profession by political influence will take advantage from the Act. “Though the term ‘automatic promotion’ is not mentioned in the Act, it has that intention.”

Defending the Act, Education Minister Professor Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar said “the Act has no provision for automatic promotion of temporary teachers”. “They will be given a special chance to fight for permanency,” the minister said.

He said the decision to make the temporary teachers permanent will not affect fresh graduates. “The government still has vacancy for 62,000 teachers. The regulation is yet to be made, hence there is no need to make a hue and cry over the issue.” Ramesh Prasad Malla, treasurer of the ANNISU-R, in a separate interaction organised by the Education Journalists’ Group said that the government’s decision would only create further problems in the name of solving the problem of temporary teachers.

Meanwhile, the president of the Tribhuvan University Central Struggle Committee (TUCSC), Ramesh Thapa, said the government should hire teachers through an open competition.

“Though we sympathise with temporary teachers, our right to compete for jobs should not be taken away,” he said, adding: “The protest will continue until the amendment is withdrawn.”

Seven student unions affiliated to various political parties today expressed solidarity with the TUCSC’s protest programme.