 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Pokhara Goes with Red for One of the Largest Student Unions’ Convention Pokhara, September 21, 2008- A serene morning beneath the arresting beauty of Fishtail Mountain (Machhapuchhre) in Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city, came to life when members of All Nepal National Free Students' Union (ANNFSU), a major student union, opened their 19th National Convention using microphones from taxis, vans and motorcycles. The convention is being held here from September 20 to 26 and the organizers have decorated the city red like a new bride. In each and every chowk (junction) of the city, ANNFSU red flags and pamphlets are hung on the poles, the walls, and the trees. The ANNFSU is a left leaning student union and the sister organization of the Communist Party of United Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML). Volunteers are decorating Amarsing Park where the opening ceremony of the convention will welcome nearly 2,000 representatives from various colleges and districts, and 200 national and international observers. The convention is said to have the participation of student representatives from 40 different countries. CPN (UML) General Secretary Jhalanath Khanal is scheduled to inaugurate the convention today in the presence of hundreds of thousands of local people, student representatives and non-affiliated students. Ramkumari Jhakri, the co-coordinator of the main organizing committee of the convention and central Vice-President of ANNFSU, said that she is now busy electioneering and doing her utmost to make the convention a grand success. The convention is likely to witness stiff competition between the current vice-president and general secretary for the post of the Union's new President. Ramkumari Jhankri Magar is the Vice-President and Gokul Gharti Magar is the General Secretary of the Union. Both candidates have eyed the post of president and have presented their separate agendas if elected to the post. However, both said they would continue to strengthen and restructure the student body apart from working towards making the educational institutions more ‘student friendly’ and ‘disciplined’. Ms Jhakri said, "The trend has been such that only the males have had the opportunity to lead the student unions. I want to prove that females are equally capable of providing efficient leadership.” On the other hand, General Secretary of the Union and another prospective contender Gokul Garthi Magar said he would focus on improving both the political and organizational structure of the existing organization. "In the past few months the organization is witnessing confusion and division among the student leaders so my first priority will be to address this issue," claimed Gharti. "I am ready to shoulder and face the challenges ahead," Gharti added. ANNFSU has always emphasized electing the new president unanimously but this year it is likely that the Union might choose a voting system. Prior to this, the incumbent President Thakur Gaire was elected unanimously after Ramkumari Jhakri was forced to settle for Vice-President even though Ms Jhakri won with the largest vote count among the contested posts. In this convention, Vice President Ram Kumari Jhakri and General Secretary Gokul Gharti are contesting for the Presidency. Co-incidentally both Jhakri and Gharti are from the indigenous Magar community and both hail from the remote parts of the country. Jhakri hails from Kusunne, Gulmi while Gharti is from Gairigaun, Rolpa. As sources say that there is going to be tough competition between these two Magars for the position. This is the first time any Magar candidates have run for Presidency in the history of the student organizations. According to informed sources at the union, Nar Bahadur Dhami, Dinesh Yadav and Soviet Dhakal are contesting for vice president’s post, Upendra Poudel and Madhav Dhungel for general secretary’s post. Meanwhile, it is believed that Rupesh Khatiwada, Purushottam Acharya and Kishor Bikram Malla will be contesting for secretary’s post and Tek Raj Pachhai, Ghanashyam Kandel and Ratna Khatri for the post of treasurer. Besides, Rachana Khadka, Nabina Lama, Nabaraj Paudel Laxman Lamsal, Bal Gopal Upadhyay, Bhim Rai, Bidur Subba, Ramesh Acharya, Deepal Gautam, Ushakiran Timilsina, Sunita Rokka, Pitambar Ghimire and Saroj Yadav are some of the candidates from Bagmati zone are vying for the secretariat members of the union in which there is a provision for only 5 seat including 2 women belonging to this zone. Many other student leaders from different districts have equally shown their interest in competing for the secretariat member and central member.
Gaire informed in a program that the union has prepared to accommodate some 2,000 participants coming from all over the nation at the locals’ houses in Pokhara to lessen the expenditure of the convention. The convention will choose a total of 71 Central Executive members among which 61 will be elected by direct election and 10 will be nominated. The ANNFSU is deploying nearly 300 volunteers to run the convention smoothly. Meanwhile, this reporter was informed that Kathmandu Valley representatives’ arrival may be delayed by a Valley Bandh (Strike) called by Newar community protesting the government’s decision to send a coconut in place of the traditional ox for sacrifice during Indra Jatra. However, the government has now flip flopped its position after seeing the protest by the Newar Indigenous people and provided the traditional gift of an ox. As for the chief guest, Mr. Khanal, the Bandh will not affect his arrival – he will fly in. The ANNFSU is a student based organization in Nepal. It was founded in 1965. The original ANNFSU was later divided along ideological lines, and there are several organizations that emerged out of it. The main ANNFSU grouping today is politically tied to the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist). As well as declaring itself a legitimate and independent students' organization of all progressive, democratic and patriotic students of Nepal, the mainstream ANNFSU is currently a member of the World Federation of Democratic Youth. -Smita Magar in Pokhara Published: UsNepalOnline.Com -------------------------------- Education, Health and Employment Are Nepalese Students’ Basic Right Pokhara, September 22, 2008- The 19th National Convention of All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) started in Pokhara on Sunday with the slogan “National Solidarity, Stable Peace and Federalism Basis of New Nepal; Education, Health and Employment Our Basic Right”. Inaugurating the event amidst the gathering of thousands of students, Jhala Nath Khanal, General Secretary of CPN (UML) called student youth to be ready to play the crucial role for national reconstruction, the peace process and making of the new Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic Nepal. He also urged the Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattrai to correct his decision without delay on providing budget for festival celebrations that left Newar community of Kathmandu valley enraged. “Off hand attacks on cultural activities won’t lead to Cultural revolution,” he said. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Convention, Home Minister and Acting Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam urged youth to assist the government in eradicating crime to ensure security and peace in our society. “We are not only making a new Constitution, we are also establishing the foundation for new Nepal so there should be equal participation and involvement of the youth in this process as they are the future of Nepal,” he stated. President of ANNFSU, Thakur Gaire said that at this National Conference they will declare education movement to ensure the right of all Nepalese students to receive equal and quality education. Ram Kumari Jhakri Magar, current Vice-President of ANNFSU and the co-coordinator of the organizing committee of the convention said, “We made Jana-Andolan 2062/3 successful and the rejuvenation has left us with the responsibility to transform the society economically, socially and culturally.” “For national re-construction and an unwavering peace process,” she said, “there is the utmost necessity for youths to unify.” Another speaker, Jagjeet Raimajhi of ANNFSU (United) suggested ANNFSU leaders and representatives choose that kind of leader who is ready to work in the students’ movement like an ox. Raimajhi and other leaders of student unions expressed their best wishes for the success of the 19th National Convention of ANNFSU as well as their hope that they will develop new plans for coalition between student unions to ensure equal and quality education to all students of the nation. South Asian leftist youth organizations attending the program as observers voiced their solidarity with Nepalese students’ plans and programs for the formation of new Nepal. “Your success in the student movement is an inspiration for us. Now, as you are in the process of achieving your dreams of new Nepal we extend our best wishes and let you know that we will always be with you,” said Tapas Sinha of Federation of Democratic Youth, India. Before the ceremony, thousands of people gathered in a rally around Pokhara Bazaar starting from Chipledhunga. There was participation by local community people, students and representatives. Cultural jhakies were also presented to mark the opening ceremony. Published: UsNepalOnline.Com --------------------------------
SLC Holder Sherpa Students Honoured Kathmandu, September 8,2008- This year's School Leaving Certificate (SLC) holders from Sherpa the ethnic community were feted by the Nepal Sherpa Association (NSA) on Sunday. President of NSA Kripasur Sherpa congratulated Sherpa students for their better future. He also urged that the students coming from rural and urban areas should be evaluated separately considering the circumstances for the scholarship, since their backgrounds contribute significantly to their performance. Every year, Nepal Sherpa Students Forum awards scholarships to 5 Sherpa students for further studies. During the program, SLC passing students were felicitated with khadas and appreciation letters. They were recognized by other Sherpa organizations at the program. According to the press statement, 50 students from the Sherpa community were facilitated on this occasion. This year, approximately 350 Sherpa students passed the SLC and the record is increasing every year.
Published: UsNepalOnline.Com -------------------------------- Nepalese Students Will be Granted 45 percent Discount on Fares
“We have withdrawn our declared protests programs as the government has expressed a commitment to fully implement its decision and punish those refusing to provide the discount,” said Ram Kumari Jhakri Magar, Vice President of All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), student wings of CPN (UML). Student leaders were reassured by government during a meeting held between representatives of Ministry of Labor and Transport, Department of Transport Management, Home Ministry and the eight agitating student unions on Thursday evening. Most of the public transport vehicles remained off the road in Kathmandu valley due to student protests on Wednesday and Thursday. After the recent sharp hike in the price of petroleum products the government decided to raise public transport fare by 27 percent after reaching agreement with transport entrepreneurs. However, student unions alleged that transport operators have raised fares in excess of what was determined by the government. “They are raising the fares as they please, which is totally unacceptable,” said Jhakri. Jhakri also disclosed that the government expressed a commitment to monitor transport fares to check on whether there was an increase by more than 27 percent, and to punish any who were involved in such practices. She said the government has also agreed to determine transport fare on the basis of kilometers rather than on a flat rate by August 27. She warned that if the government does not implement its decision as before, students will not allow vehicles to operate in the street. Not to forget, for months students from Baglung, Palpa, Pokhara, Nawalparasi and other regions were protesting, demanding the 45 percent discount be implemented. During that time the nation saw vandalizing of vehicles, clashes between agitating students, police and transport labourers that left many seriously injured.
Published: UsNepalOnline.Com --------------------------------
Nepalese Students Without Textbooks Kathmandu, June 13, 2008- “We are in a dilemma and so are the students,” said Chandra Dev Chaudhari, a teacher from Shree Sahid Sukra High School, Sima, Rukum, explaining the plight caused by the lack of textbooks for this year’s session. This year’s academic session started 2 months ago but grades 3, 9 and 10 have no books for proper instruction in different parts of the country. Talking to USNepalOnline.Com, Chaudhary expressed the teachers’ concern. “We are worried. It will be difficult to complete the syllabus on time and that will hamper students’ ability to progress.” he said. “For 9th and 10th graders it is the key year for preparing to take the School Leaving Certificate (SLC), the year that will define their future path. Without textbooks I don’t know how they will pass the SLC exam,” added Chaudhary anxiously. Rukum, where the Maoist insurgency started, is one of the most rural and remote districts of governments. It takes nearly 5 days travel from the capitol Kathmandu to reach Sima, Rukum. Like many countryside areas of Nepal, Sima and its neighboring villages are untouched by any fundamental development infrastructures. Indrabahadur Shrestha, a teacher from the neighboring village of Jhumlabang says “Unlike students from urban areas, our students do not have a favorable environment to study at home so they totally depend on school for their studying. They have no outside sources for knowledge as there is no library, and no other sources of information which makes them totally dependent on textbooks.” “The unavailability of textbooks has created confusion among teachers, students and parents and infuriated them but there is little opportunity to express our need and anguish because there is no one to hear out our problems,” Shrestha added. Guardians Association of Nepal (GAN) has been demanding suspension of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) Secretary Bala Nanda Poudel and Executive Director of Janak Education Materials Center Limited (JEMCL). “We will continue our protest until these demands are met,” said President of GAN Suprabhat Bhandari. He expressed his deep concern for the students of rural Nepal. "They are facing more problems as there are few outside sources for education. Not only this, production of textbooks is one thing while delivery of textbooks to rural places like Rukum is another thing. MoES and JEMCL are not taking this seriously, and are thus creating a mass national level massacre,” he further added. MoES clarified JEMCL could not print the textbooks on time this year as its printers were busy with the ballot papers for the CA poll for almost a month. Managing Director of JEMCL, Ram Prasad Sharma advised that publication of the books will be completed within Jesth month. “Then, within a week, textbooks will reach every part of the country. We have been publishing textbooks and sending them immediately to different parts of the country,” he added. “The main problem was created by a lack of print paper and load shedding. Terai protests and shortage of lubricants for paper production also played a vital role in delaying the textbook production,” said Sharma. Sharma stated that textbooks printed in India are being distributed to some areas and 35 private presses in Kathmandu are publishing textbooks for JEMCL to rush the supply. This sluggish rate of textbook printing has created frustration and enraged teachers, parents and students resulting in protests in many locations. Students from Far Western regions to Eastern regions are taking their demand for textbooks to the street. In many regions schools are closed, agitated students have vandalized buses and other transportation means, shut down local businesses and obstructed movement of traffic along parts of the East –West highway.
Published: UsNepalOnline.Com -------------------------------- |
 |
 |
|
सर्वाधिकार: स्मिता मगर
© Smita Magar. All rights reserved.
| Site Map |