Kathmandu: Guardians’ Association of Nepal today submitted a memorandum with seven-point demand to Prime Minister Babu Ram Bhattarai to improve the education sector.

GAN president Suprabhat Bhandari said the umbrella organisation of the guardians submitted the memo to draw the attention of policy makers as their several attempts to bring changes in the education sector failed to bear fruit.

The memorandum — submitted through Education Secretary Shankar Panday as PM Bhattarai is in India — has called for the formulation of a policy that makes it mandatory for policy makers, political leaders and government employees to enrol their children in community schools.

Formation of a high-level commission with participation of political parties’ leaders, guardians, educationists, students, teachers, education journalists and others; incorporation of Plus Two system in school education and compulsory representation of GAN in district education committees are some the demands.

Likewise, implementation of scientific fee structure, punishment to schools violating education rules and regulations, increment in investment in the education sector, formulation of code of conduct for all concerned are some other demands.

On his part, Secretary Panday admitted that improvement in the education sector was a must. “Though the state must take responsibility of education to children, we have not been able to guarantee free education to all school-going children,” said Panday. He informed that the higher education bill has been pending in the Cabinet for long. “Many problems can be solved if the bill is approved.”

source: The Himalayan Times, 20 OCt 2011