BAGLUNG-The Maoists have locked up 24 community schools here to pressure the government to stop handing them over to local management. For the last few years, the government has been handing over management to communities to help promote quality education. There has been a marked improvement in several district schools. But the Maoist-affiliated student union has seen this as a threat and accused the government of shirking its duty and burdening communities with running schools. Now that this school is closed and poor village students are deprived of their lessons, principal Bishnu Prasad Sharma of Shiba Primary School in Adhikarichaur VDC says the schools are quietly running classes behind closed doors while lobbying with the rebels. But the Maoists have threatened schools to take their warning seriously or suffer consequences. The central government has not responded to the Baglung DEO's request to run the schools under government management.