Over 1,500 teachers resign on the eve of local polls

Published On: May 11, 2022 02:30 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, May 11: As many as 1,505 teachers across the country have submitted their resignations right before the local level polls slated for May 13. Basanti Shrestha, 45, resigned from the post of teacher on April 24 and has filed her candidature for the post of deputy mayor of Chandragiri Municipality.

Shrestha was a mathematics teacher at Mahalakshmi Basic School in Matatirtha. However, she said that she had given her candidature for the post of deputy mayor from the CPN-UML

Similarly, Shiva Kumar Khanal, 43, has also resigned from his teaching job to contest in the local poll for the post of ward chairperson of Nagarjun Municipality-5. He taught maths at Jana Uddhar Secondary School in Nagarjuna Municipality Ward 5. Khanal has been nominated by the Nepali Congress (NC) for the post of ward chairman.

Another teacher, Bikash Maharjan had also resigned from his teaching job at Balambu Secondary School to contest for the post of ward chairman of Chandragiri Municipality-6. However, he said that he has already withdrawn his candidacy due to the coalition.

Ram Raj Khakurel, director general of National Record Office (Teacher), said that the number of teachers resigning to fight in the elections is higher compared to the past. Director Khakurel said that most of the teachers are resigning to participate in the election.

According to Khakurel, as many as 1,505 teachers have resigned from their posts as of mid-April. The Supreme Court's order and the Election Commission's (EC) directive have also put moral pressure on teachers involved in politics to resign from their teaching profession.

Similarly, as per Sub-section (2) of section 14 of the Political Parties Act, 2016, any person holding the post of professor, teacher or staff of an autonomous organization owned or controlled by the federal government, provincial government or local level cannot be a member of any political party.

Furthermore, Director Khakurel added that some local people including those in Tanahu, Syangja and Suryabinayak Municipality of Bhaktapur have resigned due to the lack of attractive perks and benefits to old teachers, transformation of community schools to the English medium, among other reasons.