After months of intense discussions, a significant breakthrough has been achieved on the School Education Bill. A parliamentary subcommittee has finalized its report, reaching consensus on most of the contentious issues. The finalized report will be submitted to the Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee of Parliament this Sunday.

Subcommittee Bridges Key Gaps

To resolve disputes and build consensus, a subcommittee led by CPN-UML Secretary Chhabilal Bishwakarma was formed. According to a member involved, the report was completed late Friday after nearly three months of deliberation.

Open Competition for Headmaster Appointments

One of the major changes in the bill is the introduction of an open competition process for appointing school headmasters.

·         The Teacher Service Commission will oversee the selection process.

·         Appointments will be made by local authorities based on a prepared roster.

New Rules on Teacher Transfers

The bill introduces a structured and transparent process for transferring teachers:

·         Within a local unit: Teachers can be transferred after completing at least 2 years of service.

·         Between local units: Transfers are allowed after 5 years of service.

·         Between provinces: Requires 7 years of experience.

However, all such transfers will only occur with the approval of both sending and receiving institutions and administrative units.

A committee official emphasized, "Teacher transfers will no longer be driven by political influence or favoritism. The process will be fully legal and transparent."

Relief Teacher Management

The bill outlines a clear plan for managing the over 40,000 relief teachers currently serving across the country.

·         60% will be integrated through internal competition.

·         Those not selected or unwilling to participate will receive service-based benefits.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) Becomes Mandatory

A major educational shift is the requirement of a two-year ECD program before Grade 1, applying to both public and private schools.

·         This will put an end to the common practice in private institutions of enrolling children as young as two in nursery or playgroup classes.

Scholarship Distribution to Be Strictly Enforced

Private and institutional schools will now face stricter enforcement of existing scholarship rules as per the 2075 Compulsory and Free Education Act.

·         Schools with up to 500 students: Must offer scholarships to at least 10% of students.

·         500–800 students: Minimum of 12%.

·         Above 800 students: At least 15% must receive free education.

Despite these legal mandates, enforcement has been weak — something this bill aims to rectify.

Private Schools Must Register as Trusts

In a major policy shift, the bill mandates that:

·         All new private and institutional schools must be registered as public trusts.

·         Existing schools are given the option to convert into trust status.
This proposal had sparked much debate, with some members pushing for a fixed deadline to complete the transition.

Additional Provisions Included

The bill also includes several other important reforms:

·         Teachers will receive periodic promotions.

·         ECD teachers will be allowed to apply for competitive posts.

·         The official retirement age for teachers will be set at 60 years.