The Higher Secondary Teachers Association Nepal today warned of shutting Plus Two colleges across the country from Sunday if their demands were not met at the earliest.

Organising a press meet here in Kathmandu today, HISTAN said they were forced to take a harsh step as the government had failed to pay heed to their demands. Deepak Raj Subedi, president, HISTAN, said, “The government time and again assured us of fulfilling our demands but never did, and we have been forced to shut Plus Two colleges indefinitely from Sunday.”

HISTAN has been demanding that posts of at least five teachers be announced for each community higher secondary school and pay, perks and facilities to the higher secondary school teachers be provided on a par with the teachers of university. Permanent affiliation to the higher secondary schools by fulfilling all criteria, full implementation of the code of conduct, sacking incompetent officers of Higher Secondary Education Board are some of their other demands. They have forwarded 12-point demand to the government. He said, “The discriminatory policy and practices of government against teachers from higher secondary school must end.”

He also urged the government to fully invest in higher secondary school education.

Meanwhile, Suprabhat Bhandari, president of Guardians Association Nepal, objected to HISTAN’s way of protest. “Though HISTAN’s demands are genuine, their form of protest is wrong. Nationwide shutdown of Plus Two colleges will hamper hundreds of thousands of students at a time when the SLC graduates are going to start their new classes soon after the results,” he said. He added that all kinds of differences should sorted out amicably and demands must be brought to the table.

Rashmi Acharya, treasurer, CPN-UML-aligned All Nepal National Free Students Union, also condemned the HISTAN’s decision of shutting down Plus Two colleges to fulfil their demands. “The government should take over Plus Two education,” Acharya said. Sarad Rasaili, president, CPN-Maoist-aligned All Nepal National Independent Students Union, said Plus Two education was beyond the reach, financially, for many. “Since all Nepali students cannot continue Plus Two education here after passing SLC, they are bound to go to Gulf countries for work after SLC,” he said.

source: the himalayan times,12 june 2014