Madhesi unrest affects Nepal schools’ academic calendar

With most schools in southern Nepal districts bordering India remaining closed for the past four months due to the violent Madhesi agitation against the new Constitution, authorities have warned that it would be difficult to maintain this year’s academic calendar. Only a few percentage of the required class attendance has been maintained so far by children in the agitation-hit Terai districts against the existing educational provisions that requires 192 days of teaching and learning activities in an academic session and 134 days class attendance of children.

A white paper issued by Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel states that around 3.76 million students in 20 protest-hit districts have been affected by the closure of schools. The protests have violated the rule declaring schools as zones of peace and the Convention on Child Rights of 1989. Khagraj Baral, Director-General of the Department of Education, said that the closure of schools in protest-hit Terai districts for long may affect education. As a result the tendency of children to drop out or quit school may also increase, warn education experts. Meanwhile, Madhesi Front cadres on Wednesday set ablaze a jeep with Indian number plates carrying fuel from market across the border in Rautahat district.