Students across the country were forced to stay in their homes for the second day on Thursday due to the nationwide closure of schools enforced by Nepal Educational Republican Forum (NERF).

NERF had imposed a three-day school bandh beginning Wednesday to press for their demands including better facilities for teachers. It has been accusing the government of not fulfilling its commitment to give permanent status to temporary teachers, improve the working conditions for teachers, rehabilitate displaced teachers and make temporary school staffs permanent.

NERF went ahead with its school bandh despite appeals by guardians’ association and civil society organisations who said their action was depriving the children of their basic rights to education and assurance by the government that it would fulfill its demands.

Although it was not known how many students were exactly affected due to the forced closure of some 35,000 government and privately run schools throughout the country but, according to general estimate, anywhere between 5 to 8 million students may have been affected.

In its statement issued Monday, the Guardian’s Association Nepal (GAN) had said that teachers closing down schools for their benefit carries a very negative message to the students especially at a time when the final exam of the academic session is nearing. nepalnews.com ag Feb 07 08