Nepal Lawmaker Sumana Shrestha Urges Education Bill Ban on School and University Closures

Kathmandu — Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Sumana Shrestha has called for Nepal’s Education Bill to explicitly prohibit the closure of schools and universities under any circumstances.

Speaking at Thursday’s meeting of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee in Singha Durbar, Shrestha raised the issue during discussions on the committee’s report on the School Education Bill–2080.

She emphasized that no closure, strike, or lockdown should be permitted if it obstructs students’ constitutional right to education. “Just as the bill prohibits teachers from striking, it must also clearly state that private schools cannot be closed for any reason,” she said.

Shrestha stressed that schools and universities must remain operational to safeguard students’ fundamental rights. She further underlined that every child must have access to compulsory and free education as guaranteed by the constitution.

She argued that any disruption to the education system directly violates students’ rights, making it necessary for the legislation to include a comprehensive ban on such practices.