International Student Movement

Strike in Nepal

UPDATE: The strike ended after one month on December 19th. Many demands were met: 10% scholarships, opportunity to re-take exams and free elections of student unions, among others. According to local activists this is a great win for the students at Purbanchal University.
details in Nepalese: ekantipur.com

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The following report by a leading student activist in Nepal was sent in:

This is a short report of the delegation program today at the Ministry of Education of Nepal.
We are protesting for the introduction of scholarships for 20% students, for those who can't afford tuition fee as well as other fees at Purbanchal University. For 11 days we are already on strike.

Today 1000 students protested at the Ministry of Education to create pressure on the goverment to established the 20% scholarships at Purbanchal University. We handed over our demands to Minister of Education Survendra Nath Suklla. He promised to call for a meeting coming sunday with all student organizations and university delegates on our demand. And on 29th Nov. we will also meet with the Prime Minister of Nepal Madhav Kumar to inform him about our demands and proposed solutions. Currently all the colleges which are affiliated to Purbanchal University are closed due to our protest. Now our protest has been going on for over 1 week and it is unclear for how much longer we will need to continue until out demands are met!!

Our protest is also part of the "Global Wave of Action for Education"!

Suwas Thapa - All Nepal National Free Student Union (ANNFSU)
contact: [email protected]

mainstream reports: news.meronepalma.com - thehimalayantimes.com