Rethinking school education reform

Without addressing teachers’ concerns, any attempt to reform school education will likely fail.

The 2015 Constitution of Nepal was promulgated to address the country’s existing structural problems. Article 31 specifically entitles school education as a fundamental right of every citizen. However, despite the constitutional shift to federalism, school education is predominantly governed by the Education Act of 1971, designed to provide a legal basis under the unitary system. This legal mismatch between the new constitutional framework and the outdated education law has created tension, giving rise to teachers’ protests.