Kathmandu, October 8:

Temporary teachers in government schools today gheraoed district education offices across the nation demanding placement to displaced temporary teachers.

Their demand also includes making all temporary teachers permanent. The teachers have been organising 24-hour relay hunger strike since the past 19 days.

The teachers said their protest would continue until they announce the next phase of protests.

Dinesh Thapa, general secretary of Temporary Teachers Central Struggle Committee, said the government is planning to provide 50 per cent seats to the temporary teachers, but that provision would eventually displace those who could not make through.

“If the government continues to turn a deaf ear to our demands we will be forced to launch the second phase of protest programme which would include closing of all educational institutions in the country,” said Thapa.

Laba Prasad Tripathee, spokesperson at Ministry of Education and Sports, said the process had already been forwarded to provide the 50 per cent seats for the temporary teachers’ to fight for permanent posts. The bill to amend some issues on education and sports related acts is in the house for discussion.

“The government has to think about the quality of education as well and the temporary teachers’ demands; hence, all their demands cannot be fulfiled at the time by compromising on quality,” said Tripathee.

Meanwhile, a report from Bara said temporary teachers staged a sit-in at the District Education Office on Sunday.

Some 35 temporary teachers, at the call of the Temporary Teachers’ Struggle Committee, staged the sit-in. There are 320 temporary teachers in the district. MP of constituency no- 4 of Bara district Pharmulla Mansur expressed solidarity with the demands of the temporary teachers.