Kathmandu, March 25:

An all-party meeting held at the Education Ministry today agreed to create a conducive environment for smooth conduct of School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination. The meeting, attended by representatives of eight political parties, private school organisations, teachers, guardians’ associations and student bodies expressed commitment not to announce strikes and bandhs with effect from today. The SLC examination begins on April 4.

The meeting chaired by Education Minister Professor Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar agreed to form an all-party committee at the district and central levels to implement the commitment. The meeting also agreed to direct all parties to help conduct the SLC examination in a peaceful environment.

“The political leaders expressed commitment that all political problems will be solved through political means and educational issues will be solved at the earliest. They said they will help conduct the SLC examination in a peaceful environment,” said Laba Prasad Tripathee, spokesperson for the Education Ministry.

“The government will form a talks team to address the demands put forth by the Educational Republican Forum and other stakeholders’ institutes from tomorrow,” said Tripathee. “The district committees will see to it that the examination is conducted in a peaceful environment even in some highly sensitive Tarai districts.”

Replying to queries, Tripathee said representatives of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum’s were invited for the meeting, but did not take part in it.

This year, the Office of the Controller of Examination (OCE) has fixed 1186 centres and 368678 students have filled forms. In the central region, it has fixed the highest numbers of examination centres (365). It has fixed 307 centres in the eastern region, 277 in the western region, 144 in the mid-western region and 93 in the far-western region. A total of 33225 persons — 11860 security personnel, 3000 evaluators, monitors, 15467 inspectors, 2371 assistant superintendents and 1186 superintendents — will be mobilised for holding the examination.

Purna Bahadur Ranabhat, controller at the OCE, Sanothimi, said that, except for a few places in the central region, all necessary documents have reached the districts. In order to garner support from all stakeholders and political parties, the education ministry today organised a party meet.

“The education ministry and the OCE have time and again appealed to all political parties and other organisations not to organise strikes during the SLC exam. With the political commitment, it will be much easier to conduct the SLC exam smoothly,” said Ranabhat.