KATHMANDU: Officials from the Nepal Teachers’ Federation had planned to meet with the Education Minister Raghuji Panta, but they returned without entering the Ministry of Education today.

President Laxmi Kishore Subedi informed that they did not enter the ministry for special reasons. He clarified that they had gone to Singha Durbar only to congratulate the newly appointed Education Minister and had planned an official meeting but turned back without entering the ministry.

“Today, on the 12th of Baishakh, 2082, we were on our way to have an official meeting with the newly appointed Minister, but due to special reasons, we are returning without entering the ministry,” he said on Facebook.

Subedi also clarified that the list of 25 names published by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology as talk team members was not prepared by the Nepal Teachers’ Federation.

Earlier, the Ministry of Education had called for talks with the teachers. Education Minister Raghuji Panta urged teachers to be flexible and seek solutions through dialogue. “The government is committed to resolving issues through discussions with teachers,” he stated.

Meanwhile, teachers have been protesting in the capital for more than three weeks, demanding changes to the School Education Act. The Supreme Court recently issued an interim order for the government to address teachers’ demands and create an environment for them to return to school, putting additional pressure on the government.