Kathmandu, May 13:

The Institutional School Teachers’ Union (ISTU) today staged a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Education and Sports for four hours from 10.30 am demanding the government meet their various demands that include salary and facilities on a par with government schools’ teachers.

Addressing a gathering of teachers, ISTU president Mukunda Poudel threatened to announce an indefinite educational strike from May 17 if the government kept ignoring the demands put forth by the teachers.

Most of the private schools in the Kathmandu Valley remained closed today due to the protest, Poudel said.

The teachers’ union has been protesting since January, demanding appointment letters for teachers and inclusion of an ISTU member in each school’s management committee.

Education Ministry spokesperson Laba Prasad Tripathee said that the government “is holding talks with the teachers’ union and other stakeholders to solve the problem within this week”.

Tripathee said the government has principally agreed on some of the demands. “Discussions are underway on the issues to be included in the new education regulation,” said Tripathee, adding: “We are very serious about the teachers’ problems.”

Lakshya Bahadur KC, general secretary of the Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation-Nepal, said they are in the process of implementing the agreement reached with the ISTU earlier.

The ISTU is scheduled to hold a sit-in in front of the Department of Education tomorrow, in front of the Regional Education Directorate on Tuesday and in front of the Kathmandu District Education Office on Wednesday.