Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today expressed concern about the delay in amending the Education Act.

Speaking at a programme to mark the International Literacy Day and National Education Day, Bhattarai said delay in making the eighth amendment to the Education Act has hindered the development of education.

“The amendment, which is going to be made through an ordinance, has envisioned to include grades I-VIII as basic education and grades IX-XII as higher secondary education,” said Bhattarai.

Several ordinances, including the proposed amendment to the Education Act, have been submitted to President Ram Baran Yadav.

The Prime Minister underlined the need to enhance government schools and expressed worry over the increasing dependency on private schools.

During the programme, two schools received national awards.

Tarun Secondary School of Kathmandu bagged the award in the public school category and Excelsior Secondary School Swayambhu, Kathmandu, in the private school category.

Each award carries a purse of Rs 2 lakhs and a certificate.

Six private and public schools got best school awards –– one from each of the five development regions and one from a remote and backward region. Each of the awards carries a purse of Rs 1 lakh.

At a separate programme today, President Yadav conferred Nepal Bidhyabhushan and Nepal Girls Bidhyapadak of different categories on 236 students who graduated from the universities in Nepal and abroad with excellent marks.

Prez awards top students

KATHMANDU: At a programme organised at the President’s Office on Saturday, 129 PhD graduates were conferred with Category A Nepal Bidhyabhusan, 54 students with postgraduate degrees with excellent marks were conferred Nepal Bidhyabhusan category B. Similarly, 15 graduates at the bachelors’ level in the various streams received Category C award.

In the women’s category, 28 women passing with excellent marks in the bachelors’ level in different streams and 10 others securing highest marks in the Plus Two-level got Nepal Girls Bidhyapadak awards.

source: The Himalayan Times, 8 Sept 2012