KATHMANDU: Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Bidhya Bhattarai, has resigned from her post. She submitted her resignation letter to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday afternoon.
The resignation comes at a time when community and government school teachers from across the country have been protesting in Kathmandu for the past 20 days. The protest is centered around demands related to the School Education Act and other concerns.
Sources from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat confirmed that Bhattarai’s resignation has been officially received.
Minister Bhattarai’s resignation follows growing dissatisfaction among teachers and the government’s perceived unwillingness to address their demands.
Earlier, on Baisakh 2, she held discussions with Speaker Devraj Ghimire and Chhabilal Bishwakarma, the coordinator of the parliamentary sub-committee on school education.
At that time, she had stated that the government would take immediate decisions where possible and present the education bill during the first week of the upcoming parliamentary session. However, the teachers’ demands have yet to be fulfilled, and Prime Minister Oli has shown little flexibility, according to reports.
Bhattarai had also discussed the issue with Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, as many of the teachers’ demands are linked to financial matters.
On Baishak 5, teachers held a meeting with Prime Minister Oli, but instead of addressing their demands, the government urged them to return to schools. The Nepal Teachers’ Federation has since continued its protest in the capital.
Federation president Laxmi Kishor Subedi has stated that the protest will continue until the demands are met. He emphasized that the movement is not about minor negotiations, but about ensuring the long-standing agreements are addressed through a new education law.
On Friday night, teachers held a two-hour discussion with Prime Minister Oli, reiterating their stance on the ongoing protest, their demands, and the need for a new School Education Act.
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