Kathmandu — Education and Sports Minister Sasmita Pokharel has accused certain individuals of deliberately trying to spread misinformation about the government’s ongoing campaign to improve school education. In a strongly worded statement issued through her official Facebook page, the minister said that the campaign, which has involved district-wise consultations to collect suggestions for the revision of the National Curriculum Framework 2076, remains transparent and inclusive. However, she claimed that five persons deliberately causing trouble and creating a commotion at consultation venues in several districts of Madhesh Province have affected the meaningful participation of students, teachers, and parents. Pokharel did not name the individuals or the exact districts, but she made clear that such acts are designed to obstruct a vital national exercise. She further stated that the government is fully committed to improving the quality of school education and will not be swayed by disruptive elements. The minister’s reaction highlights growing concerns about misinformation targeting policy processes, and it signals that the government is closely monitoring attempts to undermine public faith in education reform. The statement came after a series of consultations in Madhesh Province where officials, school principals, teachers, and local education stakeholders had gathered to provide feedback on how the national curriculum should be revised.
According to the minister’s post, the trouble started when two individuals entered designated suggestion-collection sessions and began creating a commotion. This behaviour, she said, interrupted the discussions and dampened the atmosphere for honest and constructive feedback. The minister lamented that the participation of students, teachers, and parents—who had shown enthusiasm for the reform—was directly affected. She emphasized that the campaign was structured to give every stakeholder an opportunity to voice concerns and offer suggestions, but the disturbance undermined that aim. Pokharel’s Facebook statement appeared intended to both inform the public about the incident and warn others against similar actions. She said the government will not tolerate interference with the transparent process of curriculum revision, nor will it allow false narratives to replace the facts. The minister also urged local communities, educational professionals, and the public to obtain information from official sources and not to help circulate rumours. The post was widely shared, reflecting both interest in the education reform and alarm over the disruption. Several education activists and civil society figures have since commented that public consultation processes must be defended against any attempt to stifle discussion through noise or intimidation.
The National Curriculum Framework 2076, introduced during Nepal’s federal education reform process, provides the structural basis for school-level curriculum, learning outcomes, and evaluation methods across the country. It was designed to align school education with constitutional promises of quality, equality, and social justice. Over the years, teachers, students, parents, and academics have raised questions about whether the framework sufficiently addresses contemporary learning needs, including digital literacy, critical thinking, practical skills, and the preservation of Nepal’s diverse linguistic and cultural heritage. The current revision campaign, according to the Ministry of Education and Sports, is intended to make the curriculum more relevant, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of a changing society. The government has been holding consultations in all provinces, with an emphasis on listening to local voices and collecting grassroots feedback. In Madhesh Province, however, the process was disrupted by the alleged actions of two individuals. This disruption is especially significant because the region has historically raised important questions about representation, mother-tongue education, textbook content, and educational equality. The minister’s statement therefore carries extra weight, as it suggests that the government wants to keep the dialogue open while also drawing a clear line against obstruction and disinformation.
The minister’s remarks also draw attention to the broader issue of misinformation in public policy implementation. In recent years, Nepal has witnessed how rumours and false claims spread rapidly through social media, often creating confusion and distrust. Education, being a sensitive policy area that affects families directly, is particularly vulnerable to such manipulation. A simple misunderstanding or an exaggerated claim about curriculum changes can create panic among parents, concern among teachers, and unnecessary resistance among students. The minister, by coming forward with a public statement, appears eager to counter such risks early and directly. She noted that the campaign to improve school education is not about imposing changes from above but about developing a shared understanding of what students need to learn and how schools should prepare future citizens. The disturbance in Madhesh Province, according to her, was intended to interfere with exactly that shared understanding. She expressed regret that ordinary participants, including many women teachers and parents, were unable to freely express their opinions because of the chaos caused by the two individuals. The incident also underscored the importance of proper session management and the need for officials to ensure that consultation venues remain peaceful and focused, no matter how strong opinion may be.
The signal from the minister is expected to have immediate consequences for how the Ministry of Education and Sports organises the remaining consultations. Officials may now revisit security arrangements, choose more controlled venues, and perhaps engage facilitators equipped to handle dissent and conflict. But the deeper issue is not simply the disruption—it is the battle for public trust. Education reform cannot succeed without the confidence of students, families, and educators. When misinformation circulates, particularly in the absence of clear official communication, people may begin to question the motives of the government. The minister’s statement is an attempt to reassert authority over the narrative while reaffirming the importance of consultation. It also reminds citizens that behind every policy document is a democratic process that allows for criticism, discussion, and change. Yet, as the incident shows, such processes must be safeguarded. In any democracy, protest and dissent can be healthy; however, when two individuals allegedly turn a consultation exercise into a commotion, they are not contributing to debate but silencing it. The minister’s response suggests that the state is prepared to protect the integrity of the consultation process and to take seriously any effort to manipulate the public through false information. In this sense, her statement is as much about defending democratic participation as it is about educational reform.
Looking ahead, the government is likely to continue the curriculum revision campaign despite the disruption. The minister’s tone indicates determination rather than hesitation. She has asked students, teachers, and parents not to be swayed by misinformation and instead to participate actively in the reform process. The Ministry, for its part, will need to demonstrate that feedback collected during these consultations is genuinely valued and reflected in the revised framework. Otherwise, the scepticism that produced room for misinformation will only deepen. The Madhesh Province incident, troubling as it may be, offers an opportunity for the Ministry to strengthen both the actual process and the communication around it. It also underscores the need for public education campaigns that explain why curriculum revision is necessary, what the changes will mean, and how ordinary citizens can contribute. The greater danger to Nepal’s school system lies not in policy debates or disagreements, but in the erosion of trust through deliberate misinformation. The education minister’s Facebook post serves as both an explanation and a warning. By publicly exposing the commotion and framing it as an attack on the campaign, she has placed the issue in the national spotlight. It remains to be seen whether this will silence the rumour mongers or simply force them to change tactics. What is clear is that the government sees school education improvement as a critical priority, and it is unwilling to let a small group disrupt the larger journey toward a more modern, inclusive, and effective curriculum for Nepal’s children.