KATHMANDU: Nain Singh Mahar, Central Committee member and head of the Education Department of the Nepali Congress, has said the framework for free education guaranteed by the Constitution must be clearly stated in the School Education Bill.
He said the long-awaited School Education Bill’s content is a matter of serious concern for the future of the country’s education.
Mahar informed that the Nepali Congress Education Department had submitted its institutional suggestions to the parliamentary committee months ago. He also clarified that the party is taking the initiative to revise the bill through broad consultations with stakeholders.
He stressed that the quality of education and the future of students should always remain the focus. Mahar argued that the tendency to demand only rights has created problems in education and called for reforms grounded in a sense of responsibility.
“Everyone tends to forget the balance of duties when only rights are emphasized. This creates problems in the system. Therefore, a strong sense of duty is essential in human life,” he said.
Mahar reiterated the demand to allocate 20 percent of the total education budget for quality education. He urged the government to seriously address civil-service-level service benefits for teachers, separate provisions for principals, and improvements in physical infrastructure and training.
He said the constitutional rights should be inclusive enough for the poor, marginalized, and disadvantaged groups to also experience them.
With increasing demands to provide accommodation under scholarships for talented students from vulnerable groups, the Nepali Congress is reportedly seriously discussing this matter. There is a growing call to ensure access and equality in education through such provisions within the law.
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