The 8th national convention of the Association of Private and Boarding Schools of Nepal (PABSON) concluded in Birjung on Sunday issuing a 21-point Birgunj declaration.

The schools’ body has welcomed the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the Maoists and urged the government to immediately reciprocate.

Earlier, at a press conference, officials of PABSON requested all to create a ‘healthy academic atmosphere’ by converting the unilateral ceasefire into a permanent one.

The PABSON also protested the new media ordinance. “We strongly urge the government to immediately take back the new media ordiance,” report quoted PABSON president Umesh Shrestha as saying, adding such a fiat promulgated with the motive of curtailing the press freedom should be dismissed with immediate effect.

The officials also showed solidarity with the movement launched against the ordinance by journalists.

The national convention also elected a 31-member new executive committee under the chairmanship of Umesh Shrestha. Shrestha has been elected to the post of PABSON’s president for the second time.