KATHMANDU – Speaker Devraj Ghimire has said that it is the Parliament’s responsibility to pass the School Education Bill with priority.
In a meeting organized to discuss contemporary political issues with the Chief Whips of various political parties today, Speaker Ghimire said that the Education Bill should be passed on priority with the operation of the Parliament at a time when the teachers of the community schools are agitating demanding the promulgation of the Education Act.
Speaker Ghimire said, “The parliament has been under pressure to discuss the budget as per the government’s policies and programmes, economic procedures and provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.”
Stating that it is also the responsibility of the Parliament to pass the School Education Bill with priority, he said, “The agitating teachers have said that they will not return to school without the enactment of the School Education Bill and in a meeting with me they have also asked me to take the initiative to that end.”
On the occasion, Speaker Ghimire proposed running the Parliament on all days except on Saturdays and public holidays because of the burgeoning work load related to the pre-budget discussions, the government’s policies and programmes, budget and the School Education Bill as well.
The meeting approved the proposal. Accordingly, the schedule will be presented in the Parliament’s Business Advisory Committee meeting scheduled to be held on April 25.
“The Parliament starts the process for approving of the bill immediately after the Sub-committee submits its report. The Civil Service Bill is also about to be passed from the committee. Keeping in view the policy and programmes, and the technical limitations of the budget, we should be ready to pass the bills, including education and civil service bills, in this session,” Speaker Ghimire said.
