Parents at private schools, school operators, teachers and other stakeholders have already joined hands with Xavier´s Alumina Association and Fathers at Nepal Jesuit Society in a campaign to collect signatures.[break] The signature collection campaign, dubbed Seto Kamij Abhiyan (White shirt campaign), will last for a month.
The move comes at a time when education system in Nepal has been hit hard by frequent strikes and bandas.
"The campaign has been launched to guarantee the children´s rights to education in a fearless environment," said former Saint Xavier´s principal Lawrence Maniyar, who is currently the regional coordinator of Nepal Jesuit Society.
The campaigners say the objective of the campaign is to bring an end to the disturbing trend of strikes in schools and create an educational-friendly environment. They have sent letters to parents through schools saying it is extremely important to enshrine such a provision in the constitution and urging them to send the letters back with signatures.
Education institutions have become the vortex of strikes and bandas in recent times. "So we sent the letters to parents to push for an education system free from strikes," Lawrence said. "We will collect the signatures within a month and submit them to political parties and the Constituent Assembly," he added.
"The children are like a seto kamij (white t-shirt). No one has the right to smear their lives," said Lawrence, "The campaign aims at bringing reforms in the education sector."
The letters sent to the parents state that the existing education laws should be amended and the new constitution should enshrine a provision barring strikes at schools. "On our part, we are currently preparing suggestions on the necessary amendments in the existing laws," said Dip Pandey, a school parent who is involved in the campaign.
As many as 100 individuals including parents, school operators and teachers have been directly involved in the nationwide campaign.
Reports show that frequent strikes in schools as well as attacks on school buses have had adverse psychological impacts on children. Political parties themselves have been involved in such acts.
The campaigners plan to submit the signatures before the CA finalizes the last draft of the constitution.
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