National PABSON Submits 11-Point Suggestions on Proposed Education Bill
Kathmandu. The National Private and Boarding Schools Association Nepal (National PABSON) has submitted an 11-point set of suggestions on the proposed Education Bill, calling for provisions that address the interests of private schools as well as improvements in the overall education sector.
The suggestion letter, issued by National PABSON President Gita Chhetri (Rana) and General Secretary Pratap Bahadur Thapa, calls for clear provisions in the Act regarding the operation of private schools, service benefits for teachers and employees, fee determination, curriculum, and scholarships.
Company Registration and Investment Protection
National PABSON has proposed that private schools currently registered with the Office of the Company Registrar and operating under that registration should be allowed to retain the same registration status.
The organization has also called for provisions allowing newly established schools to register with the Office of the Company Registrar in order to protect investment.
Fee Determination and Teacher Salaries and Benefits
National PABSON has suggested that school fees should be determined according to national standards while considering technology-friendly education, extracurricular activities, physical infrastructure development, and other relevant factors, in accordance with Part 4 and Article 51 (j) of the Constitution.
As student numbers and fee structures are not uniform across schools, the organization has proposed that standards for salaries paid to teachers and employees be determined on a 60:40 ratio.
It has also suggested that participation in the Social Security Fund should not be made compulsory for all schools without considering geographical remoteness, school classification, fee levels, and student numbers.
The letter further states that new fee structures and revised salary rates should be implemented only from the beginning of an academic session.
Curriculum, Holidays, and Teacher Training
National PABSON has stated that public holidays, including Saturdays, Sundays, and festival holidays, make it difficult to complete the prescribed curriculum within the stipulated period.
It has therefore suggested either reducing casual and sick leave or reducing the curriculum workload.
To improve teaching methods, the organization has proposed arranging in-person teacher training on Saturdays and Sundays and providing online training during other holidays.
Moral Education, Discipline, and Scholarships
The suggestions call for moral education to be made a compulsory subject at the school level to help develop ethical values among students.
National PABSON has also proposed clear rules that schools, teachers, employees, and students would be required to follow.
The organization further stated that scholarships provided at Grades 11 and 12 and university level should be student-centered rather than school-centered.
According to National PABSON, such scholarships should be provided on the basis of need and merit with the aim of reducing the trend of students going abroad for further study.
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