Education Minister Mahabir Pun Moves Office and Residence to Keshar Mahal
Nepal’s newly appointed Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Mahabir Pun, has been provided both office and residential facilities at Keshar Mahal, Lainchaur. According to the ministry, Minister Pun started residing at Keshar Mahal from Tuesday evening.
Following the fire and vandalism at the ministry building inside Singha Durbar during the protest by the Genji Group on Ashwin 24, the ministry’s work has been temporarily relocated to Keshar Mahal.
Office and Residence Arrangements
Minister Pun had already begun his official duties from Keshar Mahal on Monday. While assuming office, he shared that he prefers to stay close to his workplace and instructed staff to arrange both accommodation and office facilities within Keshar Mahal for the duration of his tenure.
Before becoming a minister, he had been living at the National Innovation Center in Kirtipur. Even on the day of his appointment, he stayed at the center, moving to Keshar Mahal only on Tuesday after arrangements were finalized.
The ministry has set up a bedroom and a kitchen near his office space at Keshar Mahal. Additionally, housing has been arranged for six security personnel assigned to his protection, confirmed Under-Secretary Sushila Adhikari.
Although the Ministry of Education has provided space within Keshar Mahal, the furniture, bedding, and kitchen supplies were arranged by the Federal Secretariat Construction and Management Office under the Ministry of Urban Development.
Currently, no staff have been appointed to the minister’s secretariat. For now, a ministry office assistant has been assigned to handle kitchen duties. Keshar Mahal, which is under the ownership of the Ministry of Education, already houses the Keshar Library and the Public Procurement and Monitoring Office. Their space has been compressed to create room for ministry functions, allowing temporary working space for the secretary, joint secretaries, and other employees.
Before the ministry moved to Singha Durbar, it was also based at Keshar Mahal. According to Secretary Chudamani Paudel, the ministry will move back to Singha Durbar once the damaged building becomes usable again.
Three Key Directives from Minister Pun
Minister Mahabir Pun issued three major directives on Tuesday, the day after assuming office:
Compulsory Computer Teacher Position:
Every community secondary school across the country must have at least one sanctioned position for a computer teacher. This decision aims to ensure that students are not deprived of computer education.
Timely Publication of Exam Results:
All universities must publish exam results within three months of conducting examinations. Minister Pun warned that universities failing to do so will face a freeze on their grants. Some universities currently take eight months to a year to release results.
Beautification of Tribhuvan University Premises:
He directed that the overgrown bushes inside Tribhuvan University’s Kirtipur campus be cleared (without cutting large trees) and the area be developed into a clean, green garden with footpaths.
