Kathmandu, April 12 : Stakeholders have suggested to the government not to close schools in the name of staving off the risk of COVID-19 infection.    

Taking part in a consultative meeting held at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology today, they advised running schools by adopting maximum precaution against the infection.  

President of Municipalities Association of Nepal, Ashok Kumar Byanju Shrestha said the federal government should leave the topic of whether or not to close schools to the local governments.

He argued that schools all over the country should not be closed merely for the reason that the risk of COVID-19 has increased in a particular place.   

Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (PABSON) president Tika Puri and National Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (N-PABSAN) general-secretary Subas Neupane also suggested in the same line.    

National Examinations Board (NEB) chairperson Prof Dr Chandramani Poudel said decision regarding closing schools and educational institutions should be taken in a region-specific manner as the COVID-19 risk is not the same in all places.    

President of Community Schools Central Federation, Krishna Thapa and chairperson of the University Grants Commission, Bhim Prasad Subedi too were in favour of running schools by strictly adopting the health safety protocols.