KATHMANDU, April 22: The National Education Board (NEB) has initiated preparations to defer the Grade XII examinations following Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s instruction to postpone the exams scheduled to begin Thursday.
During a meeting with NEB Chairman Dr. Mahashram Sharma and Education Secretary Deepak Kafle at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Oli instructed them to defer the examinations for some time.
A meeting of the available NEB members is being held to take a decision to defer the scheduled exams. " We will soon release revised routine of Grade XII exams," said NEC Chairman Dr Sharma.
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Sources said preparations are underway to defer the exams for May 4. Official announcement to this effect will be made on Wednesday.
Earlier, the NEB had decided to conduct the exams as scheduled on April 23. However, it had been preparing to hold the exams by mobilizing all available mechanisms, including the use of civil servants.
Meanwhile, public school teachers across the country have been staging protests in the capital for the past three weeks, demanding the enactment of a new Education Act. They have insisted that all previous agreements reached with them must be incorporated into the new Act.
The agitating teachers had announced they would disrupt the examinations if the government forcibly conducted them.
Earlier on Monday, Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai tendered her resignation after Prime Minister Oli reportedly adopted a tougher line against the ongoing teachers' protest. Minister Bhattarai had been supportive of their movement and had shown no signs of stepping down during recent discussions.
She had even prepared a seven-point agreement framework to address teachers' concerns, but the Nepal Teachers' Federation (NTF) insisted on assurances from the Prime Minister and the Finance Ministry for its implementation.
Prime Minister Oli had earlier made it clear that the government would move ahead with introducing the Education Act regardless of protests, instructing teachers to return to work and criticizing their refusal to engage in formal talks during the agitation.
As the protest escalated and the Prime Minister hardened his stance, Bhattarai decided to step down, staying true to her commitment, according to sources close to her. Sources said Minister Bhattarai was dissatisfied with both Prime Minister Oli and Speaker Devraj Ghimire. She had concluded that she lacked the necessary support from the Prime Minister regarding the protesting teachers’ demands.
