KATHMANDU: Educational institutions in the capital remained partially shut due to the blockade of the Singhadurbar area called by the Unified CPN-Maoist on Thursday.

The major brunt of the blockade fell on Suryodaya Higher Secondary School and Occidental Public School.

Bhoj Bahadur Shah, president of Private and Boarding Schools ' Organisation Nepal (PABSON) today told the Himalayan Times that some schools which needed to ferry children from outlying areas of the Valley, also closed down.

The blockade had, however, not affected the rest of the schools, which remained open for classes throughout the day, today.

Lakshya Bahadur KC, senior vice president, PABSON, however, said the blockade also left a few school buses stranded, which could not ferry students to and from home.

“The Maoists have not formally urged us to close the schools, nor did they call for support in their protest, thus, we decided to keep them open,” Shah said, adding, “But some schools shut down in view of potential clashes in the wake of Maoist blockade.

"Schools are regarded as zone of peace, but they are seldom left untouched by politics,” he added.

Rituraj Sapkota, general secretary of National Private and Boarding School Association of Nepal also echoed the similar concern that the schools are not spared by politics.

Meanwhile, participation of the students from different schools in the Maoist protest today has confirmed what Shah and Sapkota claimed.

Students today were seen actively taking part in the Maoist protest.

Kapil Kafle, an intermediate level student of Pashupati Multiple Campus, said the student union had called them for the protest, therefore, he was there in the protest.

"Many students from my college also participated in the protest in different places," he said.

Kafle said college buses were provided to ferry students to the protest venue.