Minister Manandhar says Education Bill won’t be revoked; student protests continue
Education minister Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar today said the government would not retract the Education Bill, irrespective of the widespread student protests.
Arguing that the students have taken to streets without properly comprehending the essence of Education Bill, minister Manandhar claimed that the bill was brought to the parliament after consensus amongst the eight parties, Maoists included.
“The street protests are meaningless. There is no possibility of withdrawing the Bill,” he told media persons at the ministry.
The education minister’s statement came in the wake of nationwide protests by students over the last the last few days against the controversial bill, which has incorporated a provision to give permanent status to teachers working public schools after internal examination.
Protesting students have been saying that the bill deprives qualified aspirants from appearing in free competition for jobs. They have also demanded that the education minister resign on moral grounds.
On the other hand, minister Manandhar, said, “There will certainly be open competitions [in the future]. The internal competition is just a one-time opportunity for the temporary teachers.” The new provision was introduced in the bill on humanitarian ground, he said and urged the students to call off their protests, as “there is a possibility of infiltration of bad elements".
Meanwhile, students organised protests against the Education Bill on Monday as well. Nearly dozen students were injured when they clashed with the police at Kalimati area in Kathmandu, where they blocked traffic for hours.
Ishwor Timalsina, unit chief of ANNFSU at Mahendra Ratna Campus Tahachal, was injured in the scuffle at Kalimati and has been taken to Bir Hospital for treatment while the others received first aid in local medical centres.
The agitating students vandalised three government vehicles at Kalimati during the protest rally.
There were reports of similar protests in Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj and few other places. nepalnews.com mk/ia Dec 04 06
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