Nepal’s Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai has tendered her resignation following escalating disagreements with Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel regarding the government’s response to ongoing protests by government school teachers.
Bhattarai’s resignation, confirmed by the Ministry of Education, comes amidst mounting political tensions and widespread demonstrations in Kathmandu, where thousands of teachers have been staging protests demanding the swift passage of the School Education Bill and enhancements in salary, benefits, and job security.
According to reports from The Kathmandu Post, the minister cited health reasons in her formal resignation submitted during a meeting with the Prime Minister on Monday. However, sources close to Bhattarai indicate that the primary reason for her departure lies in her frustration over the lack of cooperation from both the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister in addressing the teachers’ demands.
“The Finance Minister did not support fulfilling certain key demands, and the Prime Minister was reluctant to take steps that could trigger similar demands from other civil servants,” an official familiar with the discussions said. “Though health issues were mentioned, her differences with the leadership over the teachers’ agitation were the decisive factor.”
Bhattarai’s absence from a crucial meeting on Friday between Prime Minister Oli and office-bearers of the Confederation of Nepalese Teachers (CNT) highlighted the widening rift. Meanwhile, CNT Chairman Laxmi Kishor Subedi announced via social media that the teachers’ agitation would continue on Tuesday, reiterating their commitment to the movement.
The protests, centered in the Maitighar-Naya Baneshwor area of Kathmandu since April 2, have significantly disrupted the national student enrollment drive and delayed academic activities, including the assessment of answer sheets from the recent Secondary Education Examination (SEE). Teachers have also defied government orders to begin enrollment for the new academic year, which commenced on April 15.
Efforts are reportedly underway to persuade Bhattarai to reconsider her resignation, with sources indicating that the Prime Minister may hold further talks with her.
The ongoing deadlock underscores broader governance challenges and growing unrest within Nepal’s public education sector, as stakeholders await decisive government action on the teachers’ demands and the fate of the School Education Bill.
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