Teachers’ Federation rejects talks, demands education act

KATHMANDU: The Teachers’ Federation has rejected the government’s proposal for a third round of talks.

The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology issued a press release on Tuesday, urging the protesting teachers to participate in discussions.

However, the Teachers’ Federation turned down the proposal, stating that what they need at this stage is the Education Act, and there is no urgency for agreement or dialogue.

Federation President Laxmikishor Subedi emphasized that the Education Act should be enacted based on the previous agreements related to teachers’ demands, asserting that there is no need for further discussions.

“The Education Act must be issued based on the agreements we have already made; there is no need for talks at this time,” he said.

Earlier, the Ministry had attempted to initiate talks on Chaith 21 and 22, but the teachers insisted that dialogue was necessary. Since March 20, teachers have been staging protests in Kathmandu, and on Chaith 25, they declared a nationwide educational strike. On Monday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held discussions with the Education Minister and other key ministers regarding the teachers’ demands. The Prime Minister remarked, “Problems can be resolved through dialogue and discussions.”

The Ministry of Education has again appealed for talks on Wednesday, this time involving teacher and staff representatives.

However, President Subedi made it clear that the Federation’s only condition for entering talks would be the call for a special session of Parliament to pass the Education Act.

The government has stated that discussions are ongoing regarding the School Education Bill, and preparations are underway to present and pass the bill in Parliament.

Teachers have raised various demands, including making temporary teachers permanent, increasing staffing quotas, and addressing issues related to teachers’ job security and career development.