Nepal Supreme Court directs govt to address legitimate demands of protesting teachers

The order stated that the ongoing teachers' protests in the country have violated the student's right to education, and it would continue if the court didn’t intervene, local media reported.

“With regard to addressing the legitimate and constitutionally justified demands of the protesting teachers, the defendants [the prime minister’s office and other government agencies] are hereby directed to take appropriate and necessary decisions, and to ensure, within three days from the date of receipt of this order, that the protesting teachers return to their schools and that an environment conducive to regular teaching and learning is restored,” reads the order by a single bench of Justice Nahakul Subedi.

“The future of millions of students has been pushed into uncertainty due to the protest. The right to education for children is a fundamental human right, and it is the state's responsibility to ensure it,” the order stated.

Additionally, the court has directed that the results of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) be published on time and that the Grade XII Board exams be conducted as scheduled, according to local media reports.

Meanwhile, several local units in Nepal have also directed the protesting teachers to take up their duties.

“While study has already commenced in the private schools, the community schools remain shut. This is against children’s right to study. All the teachers are directed to resume their jobs,” Budhanilkatha Municipality said in a statement.

Additionally, the Mandandeupur Municipality of Kavre has also issued a similar directive to the teachers.

“The municipality firmly believes that children’s education should not be disrupted under any circumstances,” said the municipality in a statement.

Both the local units have urged the government to address the legitimate concerns of the agitating teachers, Nepal’s leading newspaper, The Kathmandu Post, reported.

Despite the order passed by the Supreme Court and with directives from many local units, the teachers stated that they would not withdraw the protest until the passage of the School Education Bill.

“What is the court’s position in ensuring justice to us? We want a long-term solution to the problem. The protest will not cease without the Act. However, we will come to a formal decision only after studying the court order and consulting with our friends,” said Nanu Maya Parajuli, co-chair of the federation.

Recently, Nepal’s grade 12 examination, scheduled to commence on Thursday, was postponed until May 4 as government school teachers continued with their protest and boycotted the examination process.

Earlier this week Nepal's Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai also resigned following the differences she had with Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel over protesting teachers' demands on perks and benefits, as per local media reports.

The teacher's demonstrations and sit-ins in the Maitighar-Naya Baneshwor area of Kathmandu since April 2 have severely disrupted the national enrollment drive and delayed key academic tasks, such as evaluating answer sheets from the recently held Secondary Education Examination (SEE).