Which group is sending letters calling for an academic strike in the Valley?

What you should know

जनपक्षीय विद्यार्थी युनियन, नेपाल नामक अज्ञात समूहको पत्रका कारण उपत्यकाका विद्यालयहरू सोमबार बन्द भएका छन्।
समूहले शिक्षा प्रणालीको व्यापारीकरण, असमानता र राज्यको गैरजिम्मेवारीविरुद्ध हड्ताल आह्वान गरेको दाबी गर्दै विभिन्न मागहरू अघि सारेका छन्।
प्रहरी प्रशासनले सुरक्षा व्यवस्था पर्याप्त रहेको बताएको छ भने विद्यालयहरूले पत्र पाएपछि सतर्कता अपनाएका छन्।

Schools in the Valley were closed on Monday due to a letter sent to educational institutions in the name of an unknown party's student organization. The educational institutions closed their schools after receiving a letter sent in the name of the Jana Parti Student Union, Nepal, calling for a Valley-wide academic strike.

‘It is an organized rebellion of the right pro-people forces against the anti-people education system, commercialization, inequality and irresponsibility of the state,’ the letter says, ‘It is inevitable for freedom to rebel against bondage, pro-people democracy against bourgeois autocracy, and the proletariat to rebel against imperialist capitalism.’

Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Ishwar Karki, the chief of the Valley Police, said that he learned about the closure of schools based on a letter sent by this previously unheard-of group. ‘Today, the police are focused on the protests announced by Miraj Dhungana and the Microfinance Group. There was a security environment that allowed all schools to open,’ he told Kantipur. ‘However, after the closure, work is underway to understand it.’

An official of the Private and Residential Schools Association, Nepal, claimed that some people came to ask for donations but went on strike when they were not given. ‘We have requested the police administration to help create an environment where schools can open by maintaining peace and security,’ he said, ‘there has been a sporadic impact today.’

Kathmandu Police Spokesperson Pawan Kumar Bhattarai said he was not aware of what information the schools sent and why they closed. ‘We are not aware of what the schools did, but there is no lack of security arrangements,’ he said.

Who called for the shutdown?

A letter was sent to schools in the name of Sunita Budhathoki, President of the Jana Parti Students Union, Nepal. The same Budhathoki, while talking to Kantipur, said that they are striking to ensure that Nepali students, workers and citizens living abroad can vote from this election onwards.

‘This strike is also to pressure for free education up to the secondary level as mentioned in the constitution,’ she said, ‘Our strike program today has also been successful.’ What kind of organization is the Jana Parti Students Union? When asked, she said that this is the student organization of the NCP Jana Parti Party. This party does not seem to have been registered with the Election Commission yet. According to her, the party chairman is Mahendra Malla. He is a former Maoist.

These are the demands they have put forward

Arrangements should be made for Nepali students, workers and Nepali citizens living abroad to vote in this election.
Free education should be fully implemented up to the secondary level as provided in the constitution.
Arrangements should be made for teaching and learning through English and the national language in all government schools.
A monthly student allowance of Rs. 500/- should be provided to students studying up to grade 12.
A minimum concessional loan of Rs. 1 million should be arranged for each student willing to study at the college level to create an environment where they can become self-employed along with their studies.
An immediate 50 percent reduction in the exorbitant fees charged by private schools should be made.
Free internet service should be provided to all students.
Income and expenditure of schools and educational institutions should be made completely transparent.
A practical, skill-based and production-oriented education system should be implemented.
Student ration cards should be provided.
End privatization and commercialization of education.
Effective implementation of technical education at all levels.
Implement a moral, scientific and patriotic education policy.
Keep the minimum salary of teachers and staff teaching in private schools equal to that of government schools.
Reduce customs duty by at least 50 percent on means of transport and other educational materials imported for the purpose of schools and colleges.
Elections to provinces and municipalities should also be held on the same date as the election of the House of Representatives. Plan for an industrial revolution by saving billions of rupees and start implementing it.
Repeal all unequal treaties and agreements. Encroached Nepali land should be returned.
A national data protection policy should be formulated. Imperialist encroachment on popular culture, language, script, etc. should be stopped.