Issuing a public notice on Monday, the country's oldest varsity has urged guardians to take it as a formal call from the university side not to admit their wards in the school for the new academic session, stating the school would be shut down forcefully if it is not moved elsewhere.
The varsity has argued that it was forced to take the move as the school management has turned defiant to its requests to move the school elsewhere.
"The executive council of the university took the decision after the school refused to vacate the university premises," said TU Registrar Chandra Mani Poudel.
Principal of the school Lakpa Sherpa criticized the TU move, terming it as conspiracy to shut down the school. "Hundreds of students and teachers are associated with the school. We will counter the TU decision," Sherpa told Republica.
The school with around 1,500 students has a historical importance as it was established even before the establishment of TU. Established in 1956 as a model school for students of College of Education in Lazimpat, the school was later shifted to TU premises.
The school was among the best public schools in the 1990s. Former Education Secretary Kishor Thapa, Nepal Police's SSP Ramesh Kharel and Grande Hospital's Medical Director Chakra Raj Pandey students of Laboratory School.
However, the school drew controversy after the cabinet decision in 2000 formed Nepal Education Society, a community trust to revive the school. "The trust invited Umesh Shrestha to revive the school," said Bal Gopal Vaidya, chairperson of the schools' management committee since 2004.
Shrestha, then member secretary of the trust and the founder principal of Little Angels' School took charge of the school which was then struggling to survive. Shrestha was unavailable for comment on Monday.
Vaidya told Republica that the school administration would not deal with the varsity but would coordinate with the Ministry of Education to resolve the issue. "We will talk to the ministry to avoid the school's closure," stated Vaidya.
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