KATHMANDU: Chair of the CPN (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has announced that the children of Maoist leaders, elected representatives, and party cadres will no longer be allowed to study in private schools or abroad.
Speaking during an educational dialogue program titled “With Students: Chair Prachanda” organized by the ANNISU (Revolutionary) on Thursday, the former prime minister said he has already directed party officials to ensure their children attend public schools.
Prachanda said that following the central committee meeting of the Maoist Centre, he called a gathering of 123 party leaders, including mayors, deputy mayors, and other officials from Maoist-led local governments in Kathmandu, instructing them to enroll their children in public schools.
“This decision is already being implemented,” he said. “We have adopted a policy that all local representatives and party leaders must send their children to public schools.”
He added that the party has decided not to allow children of its leaders and members to pursue education abroad. “None of my own children have gone abroad for studies,” he stated.
Prachanda emphasized that the constitution envisions equal access to education for all, and criticized political interference in the School Education Bill, claiming that he himself took the initiative to withdraw and re-register the bill after identifying undue influence.
He also blamed the delay in passing the bill on the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, urging the public not to be misled.
Highlighting the growing inequality in education, he reiterated the need to gradually regulate private education and adopt a socialist-oriented education policy that ensures equal opportunity for all, regardless of socio-economic status.
Prachanda further criticized the current government for failing to implement the recommendations of the Higher Education Commission formed during his tenure, which he claimed had proposed solutions to long-standing problems in higher education.
Comment