The government Friday made public its 29-point decision aimed at doing away with the existing state of uncertainty in the education sector. The decision comes in the eve of the national strike of academic institutions called by the student body of the underground Maoist party.

The government in its decision has also accommodated the educational demands of the left wing radical party. Minister for Education and Sports Devi Prasad Ojha told a press conference at the Ministry Friday that under the new programme Sanskrit would now be optional in schools other than Sanskrit schools.

He said arrangement would be made to carry out primary level education in mother-tongue languages in areas where it is feasible and education up to secondary level will be made free for women, Dalit and the oppressed and backward communities like Thami, Raute, Chepang and Hayu.

Free students will be effective from the current academic year for students from the oppressed and Dalit communities, private schools will also have to make special concessions for such students and the technical institutes running under affiliation of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) will also have to provide free education on a specific quota for women, differently able, Dalit and students from backward communities.

It is compulsory for all private-run schools to contribute 1.5 percent in the Rural Education Development Fund and provision for scholarship of five per cent of the total number of students to the poor, differently able, women, Dalits and nationalities will have to be more transparent and effective and based on the specific criteria.

It has also been decided to distribute permanent teaching license to permanent teachers of public schools in an easy and efficient manner. Students winning gold medal in international sports event and scaling mountains higher than 8,000 meters will be entitled to free education up to the higher secondary level.

Fees for students in private-run schools will be specified after classifying the schools, English will be included as a subject in private schools from class one, Sanskrit language schools will become more systematic and community schools will be provided an initial assistance of RS 100,000 and education at all levels will be made practical, scientific and relevant, according to the 29-point decision.

There are provisions in the new decision to take action against those teachers holding face academic certificates.