Dec 01, Kathmandu - It has been decided to increase the salaries of teachers and staff working in community schools under Shuklaphanta Municipality.

The meeting of the Municipal Education Committee has decided to provide additional salaries to child development teachers, school staff and school assistants. All these decisions will be implemented from the upcoming Poush 1, informed Tikendra Raj Bhatta, Head of the Education, Youth and Sports Branch.

As per the decision of the Municipal Education Committee, recommendations will be made for the management of the budget related to the remuneration, allowances and management of teachers working under the Municipal Teaching and Learning Support Grant. Mayor Bhatta said that the committee has adjusted the facilities of teachers and school employees at various levels, emphasizing quality improvement and learning effectiveness.

It has been decided that a special grant of Rs 500 per month will be provided to teachers teaching mathematics and science at the secondary level. Similarly, Rs 700 will be added to the allowance of secondary level principals and Rs 500 to the allowance of basic level principals.

Branch Chief Bhatta said that it has been decided to provide Rs 15,000 to secondary schools and Rs 10,000 to basic schools as administrative expenses to make the school's administrative work effective. According to him, it has been decided to provide an additional Rs 7,000 to teachers teaching at the child development level, bringing the monthly salary to 19,000, an additional Rs 9,000 to school assistant staff, bringing the monthly salary to 24,000, and an additional Rs 7,000 to school support staff, bringing the monthly salary to 17,000.

An additional monthly allowance of Rs 2,000 will also be available to child development teachers who have been given additional responsibilities. The updated salary and allowance amount of municipal teaching-learning grant teachers will be increased to Rs 23,000 for lower secondary level teachers, Rs 26,000 for secondary level teachers, and Rs 27,000 for former higher secondary level teachers. It has been decided to increase the salaries of teachers at all three levels by Rs 1,000.

"This salary and allowance will be provided for 13 months," said Bhatta, the branch chief. "In addition, teachers will be provided with clothing expenses worth Rs. 10,000 every year."

There are 88 municipal teachers, 65 child development center teachers, 13 school employees and 33 school assistants working in community schools in the municipality.

The approved posts are 73 in primary level, 16 in lower secondary school, eight in secondary school and two in higher secondary school. The relief quota is 50 in primary level, 25 in lower secondary school, 16 in secondary school and eight in higher secondary school.

He mentioned that since no science faculty is operating in any school in the municipality, it has been decided to recommend the necessary infrastructure management to operate the science faculty in grades 11 and 12 from the upcoming academic session at Shree Krishna Secondary School in Shuklaphanta-10.

It has been decided to make the 'Phulbari Program' mandatory for beautification in 28 community and 25 private schools within the municipality. Education Officer Suresh Bhatta said that letters will be sent to the concerned schools for this.

Similarly, it has been recommended to the municipal executive to arrange the necessary budget to run moral education and motivational classes in schools. Officer Bhatta said that the committee meeting decided to request the municipal executive to allocate 2 million for the maintenance of the school building.

With the aim of creating a safe environment within and around the school premises, it has been decided to issue a directive to stop the consumption of drugs and alcohol in schools. In addition, the education branch has stated that the municipal executive has also been recommended to implement a system that prohibits the purchase and sale of alcohol, tobacco and drug-related items within a 200-meter area of ​​the school perimeter.

Ramesh Bahadur Air, coordinator of the municipality's social development committee, has expressed confidence that these decisions will be important in improving the learning environment for teachers and students, strengthening school administration and ensuring quality education in the community.

There are 14,543 students studying in community schools in the municipality, from early childhood development to secondary level.