A New Academic Session Begins Amid Teachers' Protest

A new academic year has begun in Nepal, amid a deepening uncertainty in the education sector. 

The new educational calendar begins at a time when teachers of community schools from across the country have been staging a protest demanding the introduction of a School Education Bill with the incorporation of their concerns mentioned in a September 22, 2023 deal reached with the then government.

The theme of the new session is the "participation of all children in school, guarantee of quality education". 

In his message at the start of the session, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has appealed all concerned to enroll all children of school-going age to nearby schools and make sure that they attend classes regularly. 

Education is one of the bases for prosperity, PM Oli said, calling on campaigners to work for the production of quality and job-oriented human resources. 

He further stressed the need for all three tiers of the government—local, provincial and federal—to increase investments on the bases of coordination, cooperation and coexistence.

Around 20 percent of the national population is still below the poverty line, Oli pointed out. Education is the first prerequisite for poverty alleviation, he said: That is why, children cannot be kept out of school. 

The net enrollment rate for primary level has improved, he said while stressing the need to work harder to increase the retention rate.

Oli called for generation of employment and self-employment opportunities within the country by linking education with local knowledge, skills and technologies.