In the past, the DEOs used to distribute salary for four months on June 15. [break]
“It has been almost a week since I arrived to collect salary for four months,” said Dina Nath Sharma, principal of Dhullubakot Secondary School. “I am spending my days making rounds of the District Education Office and bank inquiring whether money has arrived,” he added.
The withheld four months´ salary amounts to Rs 130 million for 2,500 teachers working in Baglung, and Rs 80 million for teachers in Mustang.
Baglung District Education Officer Mukti Singh Thakuri said the salaries have not arrived despite repeatedly informing MoE.
“The Ministry of Finance does not have the necessary budget. Hence the delay,” he said.
Parbat and Myagdi districts received partial sums, but the concerned DoEs stopped distributing money thereafter.
“We had received some money. But it wasn´t enough,” said Arjun Poudel, accountant at the District Education Office, Myagdi.
Myagdi and Parvat districts have faced a deficit of Rs 80 million.
Hari Lamsal, deputy director of the Department of Education said the budget deficit has hit the entire country. “Districts across the country are facing difficulty distributing salary to teachers,” he said over phone. “There is a shortage of 2.98 billion in total,” he added.
The budget deficit has also hit employees working in the health and veterinary sectors.
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