Kathmandu, May 2:

Minister for Education and Sports Pradip Nepal today said his next step would be to bring all five universities — Kathmandu, Tribhuvan, Purbanchal, Pokhara and Nepal Sanskrit universities — under the purview of a single act.

“There should be an umbrella act to regulate all the universities,” Nepal said, adding, “I will try my best to make it happen.”

Minister Nepal had vowed to resign if he could not facilitate the appointment of vice-chancellors in the university within a month from his appointment.

On his recommendation, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala appointed VCs of three universities on April 30.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Education Journalists Group, Nepal asked the political parties not to interfere in university affairs.

“They should keep universities away from politics,” he said, adding, “Education should not suffer because of parties wrangling for power.”

He, however, said education has not been able to produce productive manpower. “Our education has failed to ensure livelihood.”

Minister Nepal said teaching in mother tongues can make learning easy but the same will not be useful in real life.

Asked about ‘Janabadi Siksha’ (people’s education) that the Maoists are advocating, Nepal said he never understood what it was. “You ask those who advocate it. Tell them that the minister has not yet understood the concept, that he needs to take tuition on it.”