Kathmandu: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has announced that the School Education Bill will soon be introduced through a fast-track process to address pressing education-related issues. Minister Gurung, who also serves as the spokesperson for the Government, made these revelations while publicizing the decisions of the Council of Ministers meeting. He emphasized the government’s commitment to resolving the problems faced by teachers and indicated that preparations are underway to pass the bill swiftly.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Council of Ministers’ decision on April 18 reflects the government’s responsiveness to the demands of the Nepal Teachers Federation. The government plans to recommend that the President convene a session of the Federal Parliament to facilitate the passage of the School Education Bill. Minister Gurung urged agitating teachers to return to their workplaces, highlighting the urgency of commencing student enrollment for the new academic session and crucial tasks such as examining secondary education examination (SEE) answer sheets and conducting Grade 12 examinations.
In a separate announcement, Minister Gurung mentioned that discussions have been held regarding the appointment of a new governor for Nepal Rastra Bank. He reported that talks between Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli have taken place, and the appointment is expected soon.
Additionally, the government has formed a negotiation team, led by a Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Finance, to secure a concessional loan of US$ 137 million for the third phase of the Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project, with financial backing from the World Bank. The team will also finalize the financial agreement and project documents.
Furthermore, the government has agreed to accept an additional grant of 1.8 million Swiss francs from the Government of Switzerland for small irrigation programs. An implementation action plan for the High-Level Economic Reform Suggestion Commission’s report is to be prepared and submitted within a week.
Minister Gurung also mentioned that the government has decided to recommend convening a session of both houses of the Federal Parliament on April 25.