Education Minister Pokharel Says Misleading Information Was Spread Over His Exit From Event

 

Kathmandu, September 13 — Minister for Education and Sports Sasmita Pokharel has said that misleading information was circulated about his departure from an education reform interaction program in Siraha.

Minister Pokharel had left the stage while addressing the program held in Aurahi, Siraha, on Saturday after a disturbance broke out at the event. His decision to leave the stage drew criticism after a video of the incident circulated on social media.

Responding to the criticism, Pokharel said the incident was presented out of context through a short video clip. He claimed that two individuals created a disturbance during the program, affecting the participation of other attendees, which prompted the organizers to leave the venue.

Pokharel said that although everyone has the right to express disagreement in a democratic system, it is not appropriate to form an opinion based solely on a short video without understanding the full context of an incident. He also said that misleading publicity would not stop the government's campaign for education reform.

According to Pokharel, more than 100 students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders participated in interaction programs held in Siraha and Saptari. He said the collection of suggestions for education reform has continued despite the incident.

The minister also said he visited a school for deaf children and a madrasa in Siraha and interacted with students. He added that suggestions are being collected by visiting several schools in the region.

Pokharel claimed that there could be dissatisfaction with the growing influence of the Rastriya Swatantra Party in Madhesh Province and with the positive initiatives being undertaken in the education sector. However, he argued that instead of spreading misinformation, the public should be allowed to evaluate the government's work.

The government is collecting suggestions from students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders for the revision of the National Curriculum Framework 2076, with the aim of making school education more practical, skill-oriented and relevant to the times.

Suggestions are also being sought on concepts such as “Book-Free Friday” and “Skill in Education”, which the government plans to implement from the upcoming academic session.

The Curriculum Development Centre under the Ministry of Education and Sports began the first phase of interaction programs on Bhadra 24 in 28 districts across all seven provinces. The first phase will continue until Bhadra 30, while the second phase will involve collecting suggestions from stakeholders across all 77 districts.