KATHMANDU, April 17: The National Campaign for Education (NCE) Nepal has suggested the political parties contesting in the May 13 local level election prioritize education issues in their manifestos. 

The national network of 437 member organizations working for the strengthening of the public education system in the country has presented an 18-point educational recommendation for the political parties to consider in their manifestos.

Among the recommendations include at least 20 percent of the total budget allocation in the upcoming fiscal year. The recommendation letter, according to NCE Nepal, prepared after consulting with leaders of major political parties and stakeholders, urges the local level governments to allocate at least 20 percent of the budget for the education sector to constitutionally guarantee the right to free education.

NCE, Nepal President Dilliram Subedi shared that the recommendation draws the attention of the local governments for the formulation and implementation of laws enabling the allocation of budget for public education from the revenue collected through local resources. 

Additional budget has been demanded to encourage children at the risk of dropping out and to devise and enforce programs to make up for the loss of learning activities during COVID-19 crisis among others. 

Each local level government should have its own acts, regulation, plan and programs devised for the promotion of education, the NCE Nepal has demanded. 

Commercialization and privatization of basic and secondary level education should be ended, converting profit-oriented schools into public trusts should be included in the manifestos of the political parties contesting the upcoming local polls, according to NCE Nepal.

In the recommendation letter, emphasis has been laid on making the teaching profession dignified and professional, making arrangements for attracting the best students into the teaching profession and making clear arrangements that the political parties will not allow teachers to practice active politics.

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