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Netra Chapagai, President of Nepal Samajbadi Student Union, has been standing in Kathmandu's Maitighar Mandla for 8 hours a day for 4 days, demanding reform of early childhood education (ECD) and putting pressure on the government. Even on Saturday, they were standing at the maitighar from 10 am to 5 pm.
Rekhi Gurung, his assistant, said that since last Wednesday, he has started sit-down under pressure. Expressing solidarity with his demand, Dr. The Nepal Samajbadi Party led by Bavuram Bhattarai has started holding sit-ins at various local levels across the country.
Samajbadi Vidyarthi Union is the sister organization of the party. Gurung said that after writing an open letter to the Minister of Education Sumana Shrestha to draw attention to the ECD education reforms, a pressure program was started after there was no hearing. The government did not give any address while standing for 32 hours. Standing in the hot sun for 8 hours a day has started causing health problems such as burning eyes and feet," he said.
Chapagai has put forward 6 point demands to the government. Demands such as increasing the amount of mid-day meals given to ESD children, increasing the educational qualification and monthly salary of ESD teachers, maintaining the uniformity of ESD classes in public and private schools, and maintaining the posts of ESD teachers have been put forward.
The government has been providing Rs 15 per day to the children of Diva Khaja Khan ICD. That amount does not produce even one egg. At least 50 rupees should be given daily, said Gurung. Chapagai has also demanded an increase in the salary of ECD teachers.
The central government has been paying only 8,000 rupees per month to teachers. Some local levels have given more money, while others have to work only 8,000 per month. Those who have passed SEE educational qualifications are appointed as ICD teachers. Chapagain has demanded that only those with higher educational qualification than SEE should be appointed as ECD teachers and they should maintain the posts and provide proper service facilities.
There is a demand to conduct capacity building training for ECD teachers. The government has been requested to arrange child-friendly classrooms for ICD children. It has been pointed out that there should be a playing and learning environment in the classroom.
Since there are different practices of early childhood development in public and private schools, the demand to bring uniformity in them has been put forward. "Government schools run one-year ECD classes, while private schools run pre-primary classes up to 3 years," Gurung said, "Government should make policies and bring uniformity." There should not be a different education system. Arrangements should be made to address this through the curriculum.
Chapagai said that he will continue the pressure program by standing for 8 hours daily at the Maitighar until the government fulfills the demand.
