School closed

Seti Technical School in Dipayal, Doti, has remained shut since last Thursday after employees and students resorted to strike. Teaching-learning activities remain suspended with the staff agitating with a number of demands. The situation worsened after students also announced their protest yesterday. Despite the double protest, no initiative has been taken to resolve the problem so far. The school has not been able to enroll new students due to employees’ protest, form distribution for entrance examinations of ANM, Agriculture and Veterinary JTA next month has also been postponed. “Though August 18 is said to be the deadline for enrollment in the Civil Overseer course, more than 50 per cent students are yet to be admitted,” said a source. The agitating students have demanded instructors for respective subjects. It is said the staff resorted to protest as principal of the school Sushil Kumar Shrestha came up with a unilateral decision sacking some officials from their positions. “School Principal Shrestha took unilateral decision to suit his vested interest,” said Bil Bahadur BK, Acting Chairman of Employees’ Union Unit Committee, adding he should have taken consent before deciding. According to BK, Shrestha sacked Laxmi Prasad Bhatta, Head of Examination Department and Tika Bhatta, Head of Administration Department from their posts. Everyday business of the school has been affected due to inadequate manpower, argued BK. Satya Raj Rawal, Agriculture Trade Chief, agreed with BK. He said Shrestha was acting unilaterally. He charged that the result of the written examination of May 10, 2013, for various positions in the technical school had not been published yet as the candidates he favoured didn’t pass the test. Though the school selected the candidates for engineer, lab boy, agriculture instructor, health assistant instructor, health instructor, among other, four months ago, the result is yet to be published. Min Kathayat, Seti Technical School Trainee Welfare Committee member, said teaching-learning activities should not be disturbed due to staff protest. Meanwhile, Principal Shrestha said he didn’t publish the result of the written examinations due to the poor performance of candidates. There is not even a single instructor for the Civil Overseer course, ISCAG, ANM, Agriculture and Veterinary JTA in the school, it is learnt.Read less