Uncertain future of the School Education Bill due to vested interests’ political maneuvering, the University Grants Commission running without the Chief Executive for 6 months for Congress-UML disputes and the article in support of teachers that made the headlines in the most media.

Kathmandu - The process of passing the School Education Bill (SEB), that had considered reached to its final stage, has been stalled due to the manipulation of political party leaders who are investors and operators of private schools. Lawmakers of Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee (EHITC) of the House of Representatives have said that private school investors are behind the deadlock, the Kantipur Daily published the news. Making the demands of teachers as an excuse, Minister of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) Raghuji Pant and Congress’s Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire have been stalling the process of passing the bill since 6 July, demanding more time to reach to a consensus. EHITC made consensus on the provisions relating to private schools: having to provide scholarships to 10 to 15 percent of students, no permission to be given to establish schools under foreign boards and foreign courses, Nepali students not allowed in schools run by diplomatic missions, not schools to be named in English. Private school investors influenced the politicians to stall the Bill protesting the provisions - mentioned the news. However, Congress MP Shyam Kumar Ghimire, who had prevented the committee meeting, demanding a consensus on the issue of periodic promotions of teachers, had proposed to keep the periodic promotions "as prescribed" instead of stipulating it. The Committee had asked the Ministry to reach to a concrete agreement with the Teachers' Federation, saying that such a term would lead to partisan maneuvering. The Teachers' Federation has warned of a protest if the Bill is not issued by 6th August, there was another news. 

Discussions on the Media Council Bill have begun in the Committee after the Education Minister did not give time to move the Education Bill forward. Committee Chairman Ammar Bahadur Thapa said that the Bill's process was stalled due to the Education Minister, Congress Chief Whip, and the Teachers' Federation, the news quoted. Although a consensus made in the Committee, the Bill has been stalled due to differences within the ruling coalition regarding the operation of private schools, period of early childhood development, scholarships provided by private schools, and the operation of schools run under foreign boards, mentioned the news. 

Investors of private schools are working to stall the Bill as all of their interests were not met when the SEB was passed by the Committee. They are constantly swallowing full palm, but they are still trying not to let go even a single finger. The provision to transfer private schools to Guthi (non-profit Trust) was removed from the Bill that was passed by the Council of Ministers to submit it to the Parliament after private school investors staged a street protest. The bill was registered in Parliament with the provision of prohibiting the opening of new for-profit private schools and providing that new schools should be opened as a Trust and running schools can remain under company.

To correct the government's move, lawmakers filed a spur of amendments requiring private schools to be converted into Trusts.  However, due to private school investors who have influence over political parties, even the lawmakers who had filed the amendment requiring private schools to be converted to Trusts were unable to stand in favor of their amendments. Conscientiousness was of no use in the face of party commands alias ‘enslavement’. The Sub-committee to sort out the Bill clause wise, had also left this issue unresolved. 

Nepali Congress’s Chief Whip Mr Ghimire, who was ‘transferred’ from Public Accounts Committee to the Education Committee to serve the interests of the private school investors, brought a proposal to the Committee to ensure that private schools remain as the companies and that new ones also can be opened as profit making enterprise. 

It appears that private school investors are  influencing the government to stall the Bill since the issues of regulating scholarship provisions, limiting ECED to two years, and banning the operation of foreign programs, that had already been agreed upon in the committee, are not in their best interests. The bill seems unlikely to move forward unless the main parties in the ruling coalition stand up for the country and citizens rather than protecting the interests of private schools.

The Unified All Nepal Teachers' Organization has announced the 'Strong Unified Educational Movement Part-3', accusing the government and the Ministry of Education of betraying teachers through the provisions agreed upon in the Bill, published the news. 

A student organization close to the CPN (majority) has called for an academic strike, saying that the SEB is being moved forward in contrary to the Constitution, even though the Constitution and the Compulsory Free Education Act 2019 stipulate that education up to the secondary level will be free, quoted the news. 

In an article wrote in Kantipur Prof. Dr. Min Bahadur Bista, an eminent educationist of the country appreciating teachers working in all levels and types of schools in Nepal, saying that they are doing more work than many people think. He concludes that teachers work differently, mentally and emotionally, so the teaching profession cannot be compared to the civil service. “Teaching is not only a routine job, but also a profession that requires constant attention and decision-making, emotional stability, and preparation, which can lead to fatigue” he wrote. In Nepal, teachers are expected to take care of others, while teachers are rarely taken care of. They are also blamed for systemic problems which they did not create. First, teaching must be publicly acknowledged by political leaders, education officials, and civil society as one of the most intellectually and emotionally demanding professions, Professor Bista stressed.

The Government has not been able to appoint a member secretary at University Grants Commission for past six months, because of the ruling Congress and UML Parties’ dispute to appointing a professor-level person as the member secretary as stipulated in the Working Procedures. The body that regulates and monitors the academic, administrative, and financial affairs of universities, educational institutes, campuses, and higher education institutions across the country has been without a member-secretary (executive chief) since 10 January.

ANNFSU (Krantikari) has banned CTEVT member secretary Mr Mahesh Bhattarai from entering the office accusing for failing students of Jiri Polytechnic Institute in practical exam due to the negligence of the institute and the instructor, there was the news. 

Prof. Dr. Prakash Man Shrestha has written about improving SEE results in Gorkhapatra. Removing unnecessary content and simplifying difficult content through discussions with relevant subject experts, creating a separate subject by including necessary content in place of a specific subject, mentioned the article. Three months before the SEE, the Education and Human Resource Development Center will conduct online classes by identifying difficult topics in each subject, proposed in the article. Providing necessary support and feedback to weak schools in every municipality, the examination board will provide training to teachers on an assessment system that measures students' competence, eagerness to learn, and creative and analytical thinking, Profssor Shrestha wrote.

It is reported that the 16,000 applications approved for the examination conducted by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to select students for scholarships to be offered by private schools in grades 11 and 12 for the academic session 2025/026, among them, around 10,000 students passing the exam.

Unveiling the policies and programs at the Municipal Assembly of the KMC Mayor Mr. Balen Sah announced the establishment of STEAM education, sports academy, digital classrooms and entrepreneurship clubs. The Metropolis has made its plan public to build accessible infrastructure keeping in mind students with special needs, a separate Special Education Center for children with disabilities, autism, and disabilities - there was the news. 

Former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has stated that community schools need to undergo a radical transformation and increase investment to improve educational quality, at the inauguring a campaign of NC affiliated Nepal Community School Employees Organization, quoted the news.  

The Karnali Provincial Government has adopted a policy of gradually making 'Bag-free Fridays' to attract children to extracurricular activities, life-skills and art in public schools, the news published. The Education Development Directorate, Surkhet, has stated that this program is launched as a trial.

Students from the Chepang community studying at Navodaya Secondary School (SS) in Chitwan have taken a historic step in Nepal's space research by building a satellite. The 'Slippers to Sat' project, which was built with limited resources but with tireless effort, is set to be launched from neighboring China on September 15, mentioned the news. 

Free health treatment has begun for students at Pokhariya SS in Biratnagar. According to the news, this has led to a decrease in school attendance due to menstruation or minor injuries, and students going home due to various physical problems. 

Students, teachers, and parents have also benefited from the 'School Nursing Service' program launched by the then Ministry of Social Development of the Koshi Provincial Government in some public schools in the province since 2019, covered the news. 

Susmita Rana a 14-year-old student in grade 10 from Ghoshkhola, of Saraswati Secondary School of Bagalachuli, Dang, has been forced to walk for 3 hours from home to school every day, so she has started staying in an empty classroom at the school, published the report. 

Professors at the TU Institute of Engineering have launched a protest by halting classes in all five Campuses under TU, including Pulchowk, Thapathali, Pokhara, Dharan, and Chitwan accusing the University of taking away financial and other rights of the Institute undermining autonomy and decentralization. According to the news, students and teachers staged a sit-in protest at the University Vice-Chancellor's office, demanding that the University should maintain the Institution's autonomy and resume teaching and learning. Maoist affiliated ANNFSU (Krantikari) has locked down the dean's office in Pulchowk, alleging that teaching and learning is being disrupted.

Ex-officio Chancellor of various Universities of Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli has informed that all universities in the country have approved their budgets and programs before the start of the fiscal year of 2025/026. According to the news, Nepal Sanskrit University has allocated US$ 9.45m, Lumbini Buddhist University 3.58 m, Far-Western University 10.45 m, Purbanchal University 12.27m and Mid-western University 9.9m and their programs have been approved.

Former TU officials and professors have expressed objections to the Universities Senate Meeting being held at the Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar, Onlinekhabar news portal published. Former Vice-Chancellors Kedar Bhakta Mathema and Dharmakanta Baskota said that the meeting supposed to hold in the auditorium of the respective universities, but holding the meeting at the Prime Minister's residence in the name of the Prime Minister's busy schedule, is ridiculous. 

In a Letter to the Editor, Prof. Dr. Mana Prasad Wagle wrote that the TU Vice Chancellor's biggest weakness is that he think as an employee who enjoys being only his own circle, in temporary comforts, and completing a four-year term is a success. 

The student organization, close to the UML party, met with TU VC Prof. Dr. Deepak Aryal and submitted a Letter of Attention with demand to make necessary arrangements for the 'lateral entry' to recruit highly skilled individuals to teach at the university, i.e., to fill some positions at higher levels through open competition (rather than promoting all the positions in-house), the news came. 
TU has prohibited the admission of new students in Birat Multiple College, Biratnagar, Dharan Multiple Campus, Dharan, Nilgiri College, Sunsari, and Nagarik College, Nawalparasi in Food Technology having found students being admitted without an entrance exam there was the news.

There was report that TU has formed a 7-member committee under the coordination of Professor Dr. Bhoj Raj Aryal to study the issue of corruption and economic problems in the University.
After it was discovered that a person promoted one level in the name of a Acting Head and was being paid monthly salaries and allowances, the Executive Council (EC) of TU abolished the posts of Acting Heads effective from 17 October 2024 by a decision of a meeting of EC held on 29 September but even now, it has been found that various bodies of TU are appointing as Acting Heads, mentioned the news. 

With issuing a notice to the teachers and employees who have not returned to work after taking leave for undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies from institutes, faculties, research centers, campuses, departments and offices TU has started process of recovering the salary and allowances received during the period as well as the interest accrued so far, the news published. 

Through a non-governmental organization called 'Tutoring to Inspire' founded in the US, with the slogan 'Empowering Students, Connecting Cultures' Nepali students studying in the US have started helping with school education in Nepal, quoted the news. 

Lumbini Buddhist University has made the new Master Plan public to build various infrastructures at a cost of US$ 577 million in Devdaha Rupandehi. The government had granted the right to use approximately 23 hectares of land in 2020 for the construction of the physical infrastructure of the Buddhist University. The Plan prepared to utilize the same land was approved by the 8th Assembly of the University held on 16 July under the Chairmanship of Chancellor and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the news came.  The University has also laid the foundation stone of the international hostel building to be constructed in Khadaiya, Ward No. 3, Kotahimai Rural Municipality. According to the news, there are currently 3,000 students studying at the university, including 200 international students.

Kathmandu's Tarakeshwor Municipality is going to establish a senior citizen ‘school’, the news came. Arrangements will be made to take care of senior citizens at the senior citizen school being started near Bagala Mukhi Temple, Paiyutar, Ward No. 6 of the Municipality, the news mentioned. 

Although the news reports stated that a senior citizen ‘school’ will be established, the activities mentioned in the news are appropriate to call it a ‘Senior Citizen Day Care Center’ than a school. The media referred it as a school and a place where senior citizens can engage in activities that make their free time enjoyable, without paying enough attention to the current understanding of school, which should at least be conducting teaching and learning as the main activity.  Schools such as ‘Prerana’ are also operating, targeting senior citizens. The various works undertaken by Tarakeshwor Municipality to improve school education are also covered in the same news.

While it is a commendable task of the Municipality to keep senior citizens in groups throughout the day and prevent them from being lonely, building large buildings and bringing them by bus to gather many senior citizens in one place is difficult to sustain in the long term in terms of management, activities and cost. This does not seem to be the optimal use of tax-payers resources. Although the commentators are not competent to critic this, they were attracted to this news because of the word SCHOOL used in the headline.  Understanding the context of the news, it seems that it would be more appropriate to create places at the neighborhood where senior citizens can gather and spend time together to take care of senior citizens.

Purpose of this news review is to classify and synthesize the educational content of the week and provide objective comments from the point of view of social justice and creative pedagogy including the environment. It is aimed to the policy makers and stakeholders to help make informed decisions. In this joint effort of the Center for Educational Policies and Practices (CEPP) and EduKhabar, material from daily newspapers - Kantipur, Gorkhapatra and The Himalayan Times, online news portals - Online Khabar, Setopati and Ratopati and the 8 o'clock news of Nepal Television and 7 o'clock news of Himalaya Television is summarized and presented with commentary on relevant issues. We have covered the contents from 12-25 July 2025 in this issue - The Editor.

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