Kathmandu. Nepal Teachers’ Federation (NTEFN) has initiated protest against the government’s decision to amend the Education Regulations to address the demands of the teachers. According to the Federation, the amended regulation has ignored the plight of some one lakh temporary teachers and school employees.
According to the Federation, the regulation has weakened the post of headmaster, imposed a three-year ban on transfers and ignored the demands of maintaining four categories for career development.
Kathmandu. The Nepal Teachers’ Federation has started preparations for the protest. The National Committee of the Federation has started preparations for agitation saying that the tenth amendment to the Education Regulations has failed to address the demands of the general teachers and employees.
Federation central chairperson Laxmi Kishor Subedi said the tenth amendment to the Education Regulations has shattered the belief that the state would provide justice to the problems of the teachers and employees.
“Some of the provisions in the regulation are aimed at weakening the organizational strength of Nepal Teachers’ Federation and increasing government control over professional trade unions,” reads the statement.
It has been alleged that the amended regulation has completely ignored the plight of around one lakh temporary teachers and school employees working in relief, former higher school, child development, contract and private schools.
It has been claimed that the government has been ruthless to resolve the problem of pension of teachers who have been in permanent service for a long time and the rights of the school management committee have also been curtailed. Likewise, the committee expressed dissatisfaction over the three-year ban imposed on the transfer of teachers, discouraging new youths from joining the teaching profession and further complicating the overall transfer system.
“The new system has made the post of headmaster favorable and weak by the chiefs of the local level,” reads the statement. Instead of fixing the principal’s allowance, they have demanded at least 15 percent of the basic salary.
According to the Teachers’ Federation, the amendment has also ignored the demands of maintaining four categories with special instead of the existing three categories for the professional development of teachers and for the arrangement of periodic promotion. It has been argued that the amendment has disappointed the general teachers and school staff who were hoping for great improvement and ease.
The statement reads, “The regulation ignores the issues that need to be addressed for redressal of the problems and grievances of the school staff, including relief, previous higher secondary school, learning grants, child development education, temporary ÷ contract, technical streams, among others.”
Likewise, the regulation has not addressed the problems and sufferings of teachers of privately funded schools. ’
Although it is a positive thing to facilitate the transfer of teachers of different abilities and special circumstances, the Federation has concluded that overall this amendment has made the transfer of teachers more difficult.
The statement reads, “The new teachers who entered the service with the enthusiasm to work as teachers have not been able to come after transfer even at a time when the posts suitable to the subject in their home and village are vacant and the concerned schools and municipalities are ready to take it.”
The 3-year ban on transfer is sure to discourage the entry of young manpower into the teaching profession. This arrangement has also proved that the government is insistent on the teachers. ’
Although it is good that all the posts under special education have been converted into approved posts and other facilities have been fixed for those teachers, the regulation is silent on the stability of the teachers working there and the security of the profession.
“In order to respect the teaching profession, Rule 88 should be changed to replace the existing three categories (third, second and first) with four categories (third, second, first and special). The current ratio of 409-1 stipulated in Rule 89 has created a situation where teachers cannot be promoted even one grade for twenty years. Therefore, for the smooth promotion of permanent teachers, the ratio of promotion should be increased and periodic promotion arrangements should be made. This amendment ignores this demand of the general teachers. ’
The 10th amendment to the Education Regulations was passed on July 9.
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