Education Minister urges teachers to focus on classrooms, not protests

Kathmandu, January 23 — Education, Science, and Technology Minister Bidya Bhattarai has urged teachers to focus on their classrooms rather than engaging in protests.

Speaking at a discussion organized by the National Campaign for Education (NCE) Nepal on curriculum revision and its impact on quality education, Minister Bhattarai stated that there is no need for protests at this time and asked teachers to direct their attention to teaching.

The Nepal Teachers' Association has prepared for a protest in Kathmandu after its third national committee meeting on January 29-30. The protest is aimed at demanding the quick implementation of the School Education Act and addressing teachers' professional concerns.

Minister Bhattarai pointed out that teachers' protests using the word "movement" are causing anxiety among students. She also stated that if teachers are seeking a movement to change the government, she would immediately resign.

"Movements are meant to change the system. If you want to protest to change the minister, I would gladly step down. There’s no issue with that," she said. "But if we are truly working to build society, we need to move forward."

She emphasized that, in the past, teachers couldn’t attend public discussions, but now that situation has changed. With the government aiming for a 70% pass rate in the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), Bhattarai questioned why teachers would protest at this point. "If teachers' unions continue to protest, where does education go?" she asked.

Minister Bhattarai highlighted that with the SEE approaching, the Prime Minister’s target is to ensure a 70% pass rate, and asked if unions would continue their protests or work toward meeting this goal. She called for leadership that is willing to face challenges in a constructive way.

She also addressed accusations that teachers were being labeled as political party workers, stating that political awareness is natural for all citizens in a democracy. However, she expressed concern over the way teachers are being stigmatized, which she believes is degrading their status.