KATHMANDU, Sept 18: Ruling Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has said that preparations are underway to pass the Education Act at the beginning of the upcoming parliamentary session.

Speaking at a National Education Day event held in Mulpani, Kathmandu, on Wednesday, Thapa mentioned that the government's common minimum program has also proposed moving forward to pass the Education Act swiftly.

He added that preparations are being made to pass the Education Act at the start of the winter session of parliament, which will begin right after Dashain and Tihar. He also shared that the government's common minimum program is set to be made public this evening.

"This evening, we will present the common minimum program of the newly formed government. We have also mentioned our preparation to pass the Education Bill soon in the program. But merely writing it is not enough. While we can draft it, the real work is inside parliament. It doesn't happen just because the government wants it,” he said, “Parliament must work together. Looking at the situation in parliament, it seemed like it might not pass for another two to two and a half years. Therefore, when I shared my views in the parliamentary committee, I made a special request to the chairperson, which I have also shared with my team."

Thapa stated that political parties involved in the committee, including NC, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), and Rastriya Prajatantra Party, should form groups along party lines and move forward with a consensus to pass the act. He suggested that if the committee was given two months to resolve any issues and reach an agreement, the Education Act could be passed soon.

He pledged to finalize the Education Act within a short period.