Pokhara, December 5 :

Students of Prithvi Narayan Campus, who have been protesting against the Education Act Amendment Bill, held a demonstration today also.

A rally taken out from the campus premises, later converged into a corner meeting at Bhimsen chowk. The participants of the rally, led by students of Education Faculty of the campus, also staged a chakkajam.

Warning of strong protests if their demands are not met, Kaski district-based leaders of five student unions demanded the resignation of the Education Minister, Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar.

Meanwhile, students of Education Faculty formed a 21-membered struggling committee in Kaski district, headed by a student Jiyaul Hak Miya. Students of Ramkot Higher Secondary School, Hansapur, today locked up the Kaski district education office (DEO). Daily activities in the DEO came to a halt here today as well, said an official Tej Prasad Kafle.

Meanwhile, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Pradip Gyawali said students’ movement against the new education bill is inappropriate.

Addressing a press meet organised by Press Chautari, Kaski, he said: “Temporary teachers were in trouble due to the negligence of the previous governments for the past many years. This amendment to the education act aims at providing justice to them.”

A report from Dhading said students today torched a copy of the Education Act Amendment Bill claiming it to be partial.

Agitating students of Nilkantha Multiple Campus, Dhadingbensi, locked up the Dhading DEO. Meanwhile, in a statement, the Education Faculty Dhading Struggling Committee called an indefinite traffic strike on the Prithvi Highway from tomorrow. “The Highway will be closed until the bill is withdrawn,” said Raju Gurung, coordinator of the committee. In Sindhupalchowk, students locked up the DEO today. Students of Chautara Campus, Education Faculty, staged a rally.

A report from Lamjung said students padlocked the DEO today as well. Students warned of strong protests if their demands were not met. In Bara, students of Nepal Rastriya Higher Secondary School, Dumarwan, staged a rally against the new bill.