A proposal to keep different periods in public and private schools in conducting Early Childhood Development Classes (ECD) before class 1 has been put forward. A provision that public schools can operate for two years and private schools for any number of years has been proposed in the School Education Bill. The parliamentarians have argued that there is discrimination against children when there are different periods.

On the proposal of the Ministry of Education, the consultation and coordination sub-committee under the education, health and information technology committee of the parliament has put forward such an arrangement. It is said in the proposed arrangement, "Early child development and education can be conducted as a two-year program in public schools by ensuring the resources and starting from the date specified by the government." 

ECD classes are currently being conducted for 1 year in public schools and 3 to 4 years in private schools. To discuss the matter, a sub-committee chaired by UML MP Chabilal Vishwakarma agreed to make ECD two years in both public and private schools and submitted a report. 

The consultation sub-committee chaired by the chairman of the committee, Ambar Bahadur Thapa, has proposed to keep the system of conducting ECD for two years in the community and remain silent on private matters. The Consultative Sub-Committee has proposed not to place ECD within the school structure. The sub-committee has yet to agree on this.

In the new proposal, teaching staff in ECD has also been denied recognition as teachers. Currently called child development worker. On the proposal of education minister Raghuji Pant, the advisory committee proposed that they should be called child development facilitators. "A consensus is yet to be reached on the issue of private schools and ECD operations, we will discuss the proposal in the committee and decide," said Chairman Thapa. The matter is being discussed in the committee on Friday. 

Last February, a working group consisting of experts led by Director General of Education and Human Resource Center Deepak Sharma suggested to the government to make ECD two years. The sub-committee chaired by UML MP Vishwakarma agreed that ECD will be conducted as a two-year program in public schools with effect from the date specified by the government. 

Similarly, the agreement to recognize ECD as the basic level of school (up to class 8) is also sought to be reversed. The sub-committee explained that the basic level should mean schools from Child Development (ECD) to class 8. In the proposed arrangement, it is mentioned that schools from class 1 to 8 should be considered basic. The term

has been interpreted to refer to ECD as well. While the sub-committee has not been able to agree on the recognition of the teaching staff there. 

On the proposal of the Ministry of Education, it has been proposed to conduct the ASREE exam at the end of class 10 at the state level and to have an education development and coordination unit at the district level. It is mentioned that the SEE will be conducted in coordination with the National Examination Board. The parliamentarians seem to have almost agreed on the proposal. It is proposed that there will be a unit in each district to do the education related work of the provincial government.  In the

bill, which has not been decided by the sub-committee, there is a difference of opinion among the parliamentarians regarding the operation of private schools. Parliamentarians have presented different arguments on whether to allow private schools to operate in the current company model or to take them to non-profit (guthi). In the committee meeting on Thursday, there was a discussion about the arrangements related to the operation of private schools. In the discussion, MPs from the ruling Congress and UML expressed mixed views, while MPs from the opposition party, Maoists, and the RSVP insisted that the private schools should be taken to Guthi by specifying a certain year.

Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire said that private investment cannot be controlled in a democratic country. The MPs have said that they will take 10-15 years to Guthi. Private cannot be prohibited. That the state should give proper compensation and the government should take it," he said, "The state cannot bear the burden of the private sector. The private sector has done what should be done by the state.

Education Minister Raghuji Pant also supported Ghimire's opinion. The Ministry of Education has already proposed that private schools should be allowed to operate in the company model, and schools should be open to both company and guthi models. Since 2072, the amendment of the Education Act had banned the opening of private schools in the company model. Education Minister Pant says that the ban will increase the syndicate. 

UML MP Chabilal Vishwakarma also pointed out that there is no way to control the private sector now. As public schools get better, private ones automatically decrease. Our focus should be on raising the standard of public schools," he said. He suggested that rather than forcing people to go to educational institutions, they should be encouraged by making them voluntary. The contribution of the private sector should not be underestimated. Strictness should be done through effective regulation, he said.

Maoist MP Devendra Paudel, who is also the former education minister, UML MP Vidya Bhattarai and RSWP MP Sumana Shrestha opined that the education provided by private schools should be made service-oriented. Paudel pointed out that since the Constitution envisages education as a fundamental right and a service, when the Education Act is promulgated, it cannot be changed from left to right.