Kathmandu, October 2

Temporary teachers today warned of shutting down all community schools across the country after Dashain if their demands were not addressed soon.

Temporary teachers have been demanding further amendment to the Education Act, which underwent eighth amendment only recently.

Organising a programme here today, temporary teachers demanded that the government fulfil their five-point demand. Speaking at the programme, Nirendra Kunwar, president, Temporary Teachers Struggle Central Committee, today said they had already staged various protest programmes in the past, and if the government failed to address their demands this time around as well, they would resort to stern protests and enforce closure of schools across the country.

Temporary Teachers Struggle Central Committee has decided to stage a sit-in in front of the prime minister’s official residence in Baluwatar from 8:00 am on October 18.

Similarly, the committee has decided to stage relay hunger strike for three days from October 19 to 21. “If the government does not address our demands even after our relay hunger strike, we will close all community schools in the Valley on October 20 and 21,” he warned.

Earlier, the Ministry of Education had agreed to give permanent status to all temporary teachers appointed before September 19, 2015, while for those ineligible for permanent status due to age bar it had decided to provide medical allowance and gratuity.

Implementation of past agreement is one of the key demands of temporary teachers.

Speaking at the programme, Keshab Niraula, president, Confederation of Nepalese Teachers, said the attempt to grant permanent status automatically would not be successful.

Niraula also assured of full support to temporary teachers, but suggested that shutting of schools would be meaningless.

“We should now stage protest programmes that would help pile pressure on the government to meet our demands,” he said. He further said that the government had given two options to temporary teachers — either to fight for permanent status or accept golden handshake.

Babu Ram Thapa, president of Nepal National Teachers Organisation, said the issue of temporary teachers could be resolved if all stakeholders discussed it.