Schools across Nepal shut as thousands of teachers protest

The teachers blocked the main street leading from the parliament building to key government ministries, disrupting traffic in the heart of the capital. Hundreds of police in riot gear blocked the road leading to parliament with barbed-wire barricades

Schools across Nepal shut as thousands of teachers protest

Teachers gather for the protest in Kathmandu. Pic/AP

Schools for millions of students in Nepal were closed Friday as tens of thousands of teachers protested in the capital against an education reform bill in parliament.

Teachers have been demonstrating in Kathmandu since Wednesday against the School Education Bill while teachers’ groups negotiate with government leaders over changes to the legislation. The teachers oppose provisions that would shift government-run schools to local control, saying it would lower their status, and that would scrap many temporary teacher positions.

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The teachers have threatened to bring more protesters to Kathmandu if their demands are not met.

Gases from Philippine volcano sicken kids

Smog containing gases from a restive Philippine volcano sickened dozens of students and prompted 25 towns and cities to shut their schools on Friday as a health precaution. There was no imminent threat of a major eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas province south of Manila.

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