The Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal (PABSON) has demanded that the government amend Institutional School Standards and Directives 2069 as some provisions in the directives are against private schools and hinder the creation of a child-friendly learning environment.

Issuing a 12-point Kathmandu declaration at the end of its two-day ninth national general assembly held on May 31-June 1, PABSON demanded that the government stop imposing one per cent Education Service Tax on private schools as it has failed to take initiatives for the fulfilment of certain PABSON-set conditions.

PABSON maintained that the government-introduced 45 per cent reserved scholarship provision has created a gulf between children, calling for legal and practical initiatives to overcome such a situation.

The meeting also sought a separate act for regulation and monitoring of institutional schools. It urged the government to control the drain of students to foreign countries. “Hundreds of students are spending millions of rupees to go abroad for studies. On the one hand, private schools are losing talented students. On the other, money is going out of the country with these students. The government should take initiatives to control this situation.”

It urged the government to allow registration of institutional schools as company or guthi — both private and public — as per their wish and nature.

PABSON also pledged to abide by the code of conduct meant for institutional schools. It demanded that the government provide training to teaching and non-teaching staff of private schools for their overall development. The assembly held on May 31-June 1 also decided to initiate a national campaign to train and orient the public and the school management on ways to mitigate losses from earthquake and other disasters.

Major demands to govt
> Let institutional schools register as company or guthi — both private and public — as per their wish and nature
> A separate act for regulation and monitoring of institutional schools
> Revocation of education service tax
> Check drain of students to foreign countries
> Provide training to private schools’ teaching and no-teaching staff

source: the himalayan times, 3 june 2013