KATHMANDU, Feb 17: The agitating teachers´ and students´ union aligned with the CPN-Maoist have padlocked Lalitpur District Education Office (DOE) for an indefinite period Sunday.
The Nepal Teachers´ Union, All Nepal National Independent Students´ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) close to CPN-Maoist jointly enforced the padlock claiming that the office was reluctant to ask DAV Sushil Kedia Bishwa Bharati Higher Secondary School to reinstate the three teachers dismissed by the institution some months ago.
“The DAV has been acting in a defiant manner and so is the government,” said Gun Raj Lohani, chairman of the teacher´s union, adding, “DEO had assured us that it would solve the issue by February 13. We are compelled to take this step after it didn´t live up to the promise.”
The agitators have also been accusing the school of using textbooks that undermine Nepal´s sovereignty. ANNISU-R on February 10 had enforced shutdown in 324 private and 198 community schools to press for their demands.
DAV had fired two teachers, Sagar Thapa and Santosh Jha, in September accusing them of conspiring against the school administration. Similarly, another teacher Rajendra Manandhar was also fired later.
Meanwhile, District Education Officer of Lalitpur, Mankaji Shrestha informed that various rounds of talks between the two sides remained fruitless. The DEO had earlier sent a letter to the school asking it to reinstate the teachers. The government authority has been expressing its helplessness on the issue as the National Vigilance Center and the Department of Education have formed a committee to decide on the future of the school and the students enrolled there.
Shrestha mentioned that the office would take help of District Administration Office (DAO) if the protesting students and teachers did not unlock the DEO by Sunday.
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