Education Minister Faces Scrutiny Over Past Commitments Amidst Dr. KC's Protest

Kathmandu. Eight years ago, expressing solidarity through social media saying 'I am always with Dr. Govinda KC, whoever he fights with', current Education, Science and Sports Minister Sasmita Pokharel has now become the main target of Dr. KC's protest. Along with this, a debate has started about the contradiction between Minister Pokharel's past public commitment and his current style of work.

Dr. Govinda KC has started his 24th Satyagraha (hunger strike) in Dhangadhi from Thursday. His main demands this time are directly related to the Ministry of Education and the Medical Education Commission.

He has demanded the immediate cancellation of appointments made with a conflict of interest in the Medical Education Commission, the withdrawal of the decision to add MBBS seats in private medical colleges without clear criteria, the cancellation of the proposal to cut scholarships, and the effective implementation of the provision to make medical education non-profit as stipulated in the 'National Medical Education Act, 2075'.

In July 2018, supporting Dr. KC's protest, Minister Pokharel had expressed solidarity with the #IAmWithDrKC campaign on social media. At that time, he had openly supported Dr. KC's campaign against the anomalies and mafia in the medical education sector. However, now, while he himself is at the helm of the Ministry of Education, he is being criticized for not being able to resolve the issues raised by Dr. KC.

On social media too, users are questioning Minister Pokharel's current role by widely sharing his old statements. There is a growing debate about moral responsibility, with leaders who were supporters of Satyagraha in the past now facing criticism because Dr. KC has to go on hunger strike against the decisions and working style of their own ministry.

In this protest, Dr. KC has specifically raised questions about the political appointments and the influence of vested interest groups in the process of transforming Geta Medical College into a university. He has clarified that he is not against the establishment of Geta Medical College or university, but that appointing individuals with conflicting interests in its leadership and structure is wrong.

According to him, appointing individuals affiliated with private medical colleges or those with conflicting interests as officials in public educational institutions will have a serious impact on the future of Geta Medical College, the quality of medical education, and the improvement process. Therefore, his demand is that such appointments be canceled immediately.

With Dr. KC's 24th Satyagraha, the debate on medical education reform has once again focused on national politics. Also, the question of why leaders who stood for reform in the past are failing to implement their own commitments after reaching the government leadership is being raised again.