KATHMANDU: The Nepal Educational Republican Forum (NERF) today announced a new phase of protest programme demanding that the government implement past agreements.

Organising a press conference, RB Bhandari, president, NERF, said that they would ring the school bell for one hour between 11 to 12 am in schools across the country on July 8 as a symbolic protest against the government. He further said that they would wear a black band and stage a sit-in front of the Ministry of Education, Kesharmahal, for an hour on July 9.

Home Kumar Thapa, vice president, NERF, said that the protest was against irregularities in the education sector. Thapa said, “Education has never been a priority of the government.” Gunaraj Lohani, founder president, NERF, said that they would continue the protests till the government implemented all past agreements.

However, government officials attributed regular disturbance in the educational sector to political instability. Janardan Nepal, joint secretary at the MoE said that the political parties lacked commitment.