Education Minister reminds teachers of their duty

Kathmandu, Dec 1: Education Minister Dhaniram Poudel has urged teachers to remember their duties and responsibilities while raising voice for their rights and interest.Addressing the 'Statute Conference' of the Teachers' Union of Nepal (TUN) here today, he said the teachers were to blame for the slide in the education standard of the community schools.

"The teachers have excelled in the struggle for democracy and securing their professional rights. With this, now is the time for the teachers to fulfill their responsibility of improving the standard of education," the Minister for Education asserted.Stating that it was a matter of concern the trend of students from the rural areas coming to the cities and towns has increased, he wondered whether it was because the teachers have forgotten their professional honesty.

The Education Minister expressed the belief that the new education policy would be issued son as it has been sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval.CPN (UML) secretary Pradip Gyawali urged the teachers to play the role of social reformers also not just school reformers.

Nepali Congress central committee member Pradip Poudel said reform in the education sector was not possible as long as the professional demands of the teachers remained unaddressed.TUN president Keshav Niraula said teachers are aware of their rights and responsibilities.President of Nepal National Teachers Association and SAARC Teachers' Federation, Baburam Thapa said the Nepali teachers have set an example in the struggle for their rights in the whole of South Asia.

The Statute Conference will run for two days. Teachers' Union of Nepal (TUN) is a federation of teachers associations. TUN is the single body of teachers duly registered under the provision of Educational Act of the country with jurisdiction to work for the promotion and protection of the rights, morale, status, and concern of teachers in public school system.

All the teacher associations that existed in 2006, jointly established it. They were five; namely Nepal Teachers' Association (NTA), Nepal National Teachers' Association (NNTA), Nepal National Teachers' Council (NNTC), Nepal Teachers' Forum (NTF), and Nepal Revolutionary Teachers' Association (NRTA).