President to unveil govt policy, programmes in House on May 2

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 29: President Ramchandra Paudel is scheduled to address the joint session of both the Houses of the Federal Parliament on May 2.

Speaking at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Monday evening, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung informed about it referring to the Cabinet decision.

According to Minister Gurung, President Paudel will address the joint meeting of both Houses of the Federal Parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) in New Baneshwor at 3:00 pm. 

 The government has decided to recommend President Paudel for the certification of the issuance of the government policy and programmes for the new fiscal year 2025/26. According to constitutional provisions, the government must table the annual budget on May 28. Before the budget, the government usually announces its policies and programmes.

Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, said the Cabinet meeting approved the foreign visits of some ministers, secretaries, and officials from a few commissions.

Gurung further said that today’s meeting did not reach any decision regarding the ongoing protest of schoolteachers. 

Minister Gurung, however, said that the demands of the protesting teachers would be addressed by Tuesday or Wednesday as the concerned Ministry and other associated ministries began holding meetings with the leaders of Nepal Teachers Federation that has been launching Kathmandu-centric protest since April 2.

Minister Gurung also claimed that an environment would be created for teachers to return to schools soon.

Community school teachers’ from across the country have been staging protests in Kathmandu, raising demands including the issuance of the new School Education Bill.

Although there have been multiple rounds of talks between the government and the teachers, their demands have not yet been fulfilled.

The teachers, however, have maintained that they would not end their protest until the new School Education Bill is issued.

Meanwhile, schoolteachers from across the country continued their Kathmandu-centric protest for the 27th consecutive day on Monday.

Launched by the Nepal Teachers’ Federation (NTF) demanding the immediate introduction of the School Education Bill, the protest remained peaceful on Monday.  However, on Sunday, their protest turned violent when a group of agitating teachers tried to breach the prohibitory zone in Baneshwar area, prompting police to use force which resulted in the injuries of scores of teachers and a TV journalist. 

Hundreds of the teachers, including those injured on Sunday’s clash, gathered at Maitighar and marched towards New Baneshwar.

While teachers were demonstrating in the streets, lawmakers speaking in the Special Hour of the House of Representatives urged the government to address their genuine demands. Lawmakers like Dilendra Prasad Badu of the Nepali Congress, Janardan Sharma of CPN-Maoist Centre, Roshan Karki of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Sumana Shrestha of Rastriya Swatantra Party said the government should not suppress the teachers’ peaceful movements. They demanded an immediate solution to the protest through dialogue and send teachers back to classrooms.

Opposition parties register motion of public importance 

Meanwehile, the opposition parties registered a motion of public importance demanding fulfillment of teachers’ demand including enactment of the School Education Act.

The main opposition party, CPN-Maoist Centre, along with four other opposition parties registered a proposal of urgent public importance in the Parliament, demanding a discussion to address the demands of agitating teachers and medical professionals.

Hitraj Pandey, Chief Whip of the Maoist Centre, submitted the notice of the proposal to the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, stating that the government neglected the voices of protesting teachers as well as medical professionals advocating for their professional rights.

The proposal has been supported by Santosh Pariyar, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP); Sher Bahadur Kunwar, Member of Parliament from the CPN (Unified Socialist); Prabhu Sah, Chairperson of the Aam Janata Party; and Chitra Bahadur KC, Chairperson of the Rastriya Janamorcha.

The proposal highlights six points explaining why the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology and the Ministry of Health and Population not becoming serious and engaged in discussion regarding the matter.

Teachers reject political leaders’ solidarity speech Likewise, the top leadership of the CPN (Unified Socialist) led by Madhav Kumar Nepal, who reached Maitighar to express solidarity with the ongoing teachers’ protest, left the scene after the teachers opposed their presence.

The team, including party chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and senior leader Jhalanath Khanal, had intended to address the protestors in support of their cause.

However, their plans were thwarted when the teachers, in unison, shouted slogans against them, demanding they leave the protest site.

As the leaders attempted to engage with the teachers, the teachers chanted, “No leader needs to come here, if you want to speak, do so in the Parliament.”

Later, police escorted the leaders to their vehicles.

The protesting teachers continued to voice their displeasure, marching towards Bijuli Bazaa chanting various slogans.

NDF President Laxmi Kishor Subedi responded to the incident, saying, “Various propagandas are being spread to divide our movement. Be cautious. We have nothing to hide. Our official position is based on the 24-point agenda. There are no other hidden points like the 9-point or 7-point issues, which are being circulated.”