Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel has said that the government is committed to addressing citizens’ concerns gradually and moving forward by listening to the public.
Speaking at a public hearing organized today in Kathmandu Constituency No. 5, Minister Pokharel pledged to prioritize education-related reforms while also addressing other public concerns raised by residents.
Pokharel, who is also the elected Member of Parliament from the same constituency, organized the first public hearing program at Bishal Milan Kendra in Ward No. 4 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City as part of his election commitment to hold regular monthly public interactions.
As the government spokesperson, he stated that the government’s policy is to move forward only after listening to citizens’ voices. He also shared updates on the priorities and ongoing reforms in the education sector.
The minister said that the physical infrastructure of community schools across the country would be assessed, and from the next fiscal year, budget allocation and resources would be provided based on priority and actual needs. He noted that earlier equal distribution of budgets had created difficulties in effective implementation.
He also said the process of selecting university vice-chancellors would be made more transparent and professional, with expert committees selecting candidates based on competence and specialization.
During the program, local residents raised various concerns, with emphasis on education-related issues including school admission fees and delays in examination results of the Tribhuvan University Service Commission.
Responding to the concerns, Minister Pokharel said local governments had been instructed to regulate student admission fees as per guidelines. He also assured coordination with relevant agencies to ensure safe drinking water through quality monitoring.
He further expressed confidence that examination results, including those of the Tribhuvan University Service Commission, would be published regularly once the vice-chancellor selection process is completed.
He added that similar public hearing programs would continue in all 15 wards of Kathmandu Constituency No. 5, with at least one ward hosting such interactions every month.
Speaking at the event, Chairperson of the House of Representatives’ Education, Health and Information Technology Committee, Dr. Ojaswi Sherchan, expressed confidence that issues raised in parliament and government forums would be addressed effectively.
The program was attended by a significant number of local residents, intellectuals, and social workers from the constituency.
