August 9: Stakeholders have expressed discontent on the proposed arrangements regarding private schools in the bill that the government is set to present at the federal parliament to mend and integrate school education.    
Organizing a joint press conference on Tuesday, the private school operators’ organizations demanded amendment to the draft bill acknowledging their right to private property.    
Speakers expressed displeasure over some of the provisions in the bill during the press conference jointly organized by Private and Boarding Schools' Organization Nepal (PABSON), National Private and Boarding Schools' Association Nepal (NPABSON) and Higher Institutions and Secondary Schools Association (HISSAN).    
They said the provisions of the draft bill were prejudiced, anti-constitutional, impractical and ill-advised.    
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on August 1 had decided to endorse the bill and table it at the parliament.    
The organizations have shown their grave concern on the provisions of the bill, including transformation of the schools with private investment into the educational trustees (guthi) within five years.    
The press release jointly issued by PABSON Chairperson DK Dhungana, N-PANSON Chairperson Pandab Hamal and HISSAN Chairperson Ramesh Silwal states that they would resort protest programmes, including submitting memorandum to the local government units, district administration offices, education development and coordination unit and province ministries; stage demonstration against the draft bill and hold interaction/discussion with stakeholders if their demands were not addressed.    
The organizations have warned to launch stern protests if the government did not pay attention to their demands. -- RSS