LALITPUR: National Private and Boarding Schools Association Nepal has demanded that the government implement the ‘School as Zone of Peace’ idea by bringing a new act.

Publishing the ‘Kathmandu Declaration’ formulated by the Fifth National Convention that concluded recently, Karna Bahadur Shahi, newly elected president, NPABSAN, said that a few years ago, the government declared schools as zone of peace, but the implementation part was very weak. Hence, a new act should be formulated to implement it fully.

He said that school buses should be allowed to move freely like ambulances on the road during bandhs. He further said that the school should be far from stinking places and slaughter houses.

“Schools should be far away from cinema halls, police posts, industries and all offices that remain crowded,” he added.

The recently concluded fifth National convention demanded that the government stop discriminating between students of institutional and community schools. Currently, there is a provision of scholarship in higher education for students from community schools only. The convention demanded representation of members of NPABSAN in the District Education Committees, Fee Fixation Committee, District level Examination Committee and other central and district level government bodies.

Though the government had prohibited sent-up tests in schools, NPABSAN has demanded that government allow institutional schools to take sent-up test, stating that it gives exposure to students and helps them prepare for the SLC exam. He said, “Due to such test and exposure, institutional schools have fared better than community schools this year.”

He said the government should provide training to institutional school teachers to develop their capacity. “Corporal punishment and child abuse should be completely prohibited in schools,” he added.

source: the himalayan times,22 june 2014