Though MoE urged the MoF to make necessary financial arrangements for creating additional posts of teachers in selected public and community higher secondary schools so that at least one school in all 240 constituencies would have a science faculty, as pledged by Finance Minister Surendra Pandey in his budget speech, the MoF has not made any decision owing to the differences between the two ministries.[break]
According to sources, the MoE has proposed creation of permanent posts of teachers for which the MoF will have to increase the annual budget for the salaries of teachers. Instead of increasing its annual budget by creating permanent posts, the MoF is ready to provide only an amount grant to schools.
"This is about properly utilizing the state´s hard-earned resources," said Ishwari Prasad Aryal, under secretary at the MoF. "Creating permanent posts for additional teachers is not really a good idea. Instead, if we provide a grant, the selected schools will be free to hire teachers for any subject in the science faculty based on their requirement."
The MoE fears appointing new teachers on the basis of a grant support could spell trouble in future. "Grant is meant only for a year, " an MoE official told Republica, requesting not to be named.
“What if we hire teachers this year, and the MoF does not provide grant in the coming years. This is why we are pushing for permanent posts." In his budget speech, Minister Pandey had allocated Rs 1 billion for hiring additional teachers. However, the disagreement over the appointment cropped up as the speech was silent on the method of hiring the teachers.
The MoE´s initiative to assist one higher secondary school in each constituency to set up science faculty comes in the wake of Tribhuvan University (TU) phasing out Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) last year. The country´s oldest university had actually decided to scrap PCL way back in 1992.
However, the university failed to implement its decision for almost two decades due to student unions´ protests. Agitating unions relented last year only after the MoE promised to help at least one public +2 school in every constituency in setting up science faculties.
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