Political parties are trying to whip up middle class support for their anti-royal move agitation by paralysing the education system. But this time, in addition to colleges they have targetted private high schools by padlocking their offices and forcing students to join political rallies. Parties mobilised their student unions to bus thousands of schools students in the capital to carry placards demanding the restoration of democracy and education on Tuesday. "Our rally is in defence of democracy," said the UML's Khim Lal Bhatarai, but party leaders evaded questions about whether the students attended voluntarily.

This show of strength was to match the Maoist students who have been going around private schools in Kathmandu forcing them to lock up their offices or face dire consequences. The principal of St Xaviers School, Fr Lawrence Maniyar, warned that his schools could not function like this and said all missionary schools in the country could be closed if the Maoists did not call off their agitation. More than 50,000 students are enrolled in missionary schools all over Nepal. In other Kathmandu schools, parents angered by the politicisation of education held meetings (see pic, above) to counter closure and protest the government's inaction.

They blame the political leadership of all parties who are interfering with the education system, by using the excuse of high fees. "Quality education costs money, why don't they protest the low quality of government schools instead of targetting schools that are doing their jobs professionally?" asked one irate member of the school organisation, PABSON.