Kathmandu – Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Raghuraj Pant has said that accommodation and uniforms under full scholarships in private schools should be addressed through regulations rather than the main law.
Presenting the government’s position during Monday’s House of Representatives discussion on the School Education Bill, Minister Pant argued that provisions included in regulations would be easier to implement and adjust over time.
“Full scholarship provisions, such as accommodation facilities, should be placed in the regulations instead of the law. This ensures practical management in the future. Laws must remain progressive and implementable, not restrictive for private schools,” he said.
A report prepared by a subcommittee led by CPN-UML lawmaker Chhabilal Bishwakarma defined full scholarships to cover tuition fees, exam charges, textbooks, educational materials, uniforms, transportation, and residential facilities where available. However, the proposal to include accommodation and uniforms in the law did not pass due to lack of consensus among members.
Minister Pant emphasized that the government has the responsibility to regulate community, guthi-based, and private schools, while avoiding laws that could unduly burden private institutions. He added that the government remains committed to ensuring scholarships and proper regulation of private schools.
Private school operators have been staging protests against mandatory scholarship provisions, arguing that including accommodation and uniforms under law would be impractical.
