KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa has lambasted the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for working as sycophant of the President by giving the President undue role in its programs recently brought by the ministry.

Speaking in today’s session of the House of Representatives, lawmaker Thapa questioned the rationale behind the President Educational Reform Program included in the budget.

“I wonder what made the Education Minister present himself as a sycophant and give the President like Shree Six,” Thapa expressed his skepticism about the sincerity of Education Minister. Shree Six is a title that is above the law.

“The President Educational Reform Program proposed in the budget looks a project made to give the President undue and unconstitutional role,” Thapa said.

He also said that the program will allow the President a space to distribute money wherever she likes. He criticized this move as unconstitutional, unethical and against the spirit of federalism.

Thapa demanded the justification of making increment in the money allocated to such programs.

The government had allocated Rs 5 billion for this program last year, but has made it a six billion program this year.

Thapa wished that the Education Minister had heard about the difficulties of the teachers, facilitators and part time lecturers who are starving as they have too low or no salary for their livelihood.

He sought clarification on the remarkable budget increment for Teachers Volunteers Program.

“The Teacher Volunteers Program which failed to assign a single teacher in a year has received nearly Rs 1 billion extra amount this year, the program which had 1.5 billion budget yet failed to do anything has got Rs 2.23 billion this year,” Thapa presented a data to point out the loopholes in the budget.

He added that despite his advice for the dismissal of SEE, no bold action was dared by the government.

Lawmaker Thapa pointed out that the budget was not much realistic as it has failed to recognize the fact that 9 million school-going children are at homes these days.