<p>President Bidya Devi Bhandari has today certified the most awaited Education Act (Eighth Amendment), 2073 BS.<br><br>President Bhandari certified the Act, passed by the Legislature –Parliament on June 4, at the Presidential Palace, Sheetal Niwas. <br><br>After the certification of the Act, it has paved the way for the organisational change in school sector and addressing the problems of temporary basis teachers. The Act would be a milestone for the school management and quality education to prepare required human resources for the national development. <br><br>As per the new Act, education up to class eight has been considered as primary education and education from class 9-12 is known as secondary level education. It has also paved way to run special education, informal education and open education programmes, among others at any community school after putting in place the required infrastructure. <br><br>The Act has also provision that institutional schools could only be run as educational guthi and has banned to open new schools under company and cooperative. <br><br>SIMILARLY, <br>The Act will transform Higher Secondary Educational Board (HSEB) into National Examinations Board. With this, School Leaving Certificate examination conducted in class 10 has been scrapped and national examinations will be conducted in class 12. <br><br><br></p>

<p>The 13th National Paddy Day was marked throughout the country including the Kathmandu Valley today, organising various programmes. Rice planting programmes have also been organised in different places on the occasion.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>The theme of the National Rice Day today is ' Expansion of Community Nurseries- the Basis for Commercial Rice Farming'.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>The Day is marked on the 15th of the Nepali month Asar every year. The 15th of Asar is the day when traditionally Nepali farmers finished planting paddy in their fields and enjoined in its celebration.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>According to the Ministry for Agricultural Development, rice has been planted in nearly 18 percent of the approximately 1.5 million hectares of land on which rice is cultivated.</p><p>Rice is planted in 70 percent of arable land in the Tarai, 26 percent in the Hilly region and four percent in the Mountainous region.</p><p>The Ministry stated that rice production last fiscal year was 4.3 million metric tonnes from 1.4 hectares under cultivation. <br><br><br></p>

<p>Three minor earthquakes of various magnitudes were recorded within an interval of thirty minutes in Bajhang district in far-western region today. <br><br>The first earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale jolted the district at 2:55 pm. Similarly, another of 4.2 magnitude struck at 3:11 pm and of 3.8 magnitude at 3:28 pm, according to the Regional Seismic Centre in Surkhet. <br><br>The epicenter for all three earthquake was at Mayana, 11 kilometres northeast from district headquarters Chainpur. <br><br><br></p>

<p>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has applauded role of former members of parliament in handling political ups and downs in the country.<br><br>Addressing the 15th General Assembly of Former Parliamentarians' Forum today, PM Oli said contribution of former parliamentarians who are the wealth of experiences to the constitution drafting, ensuring people's rights and leading the country towards the path of prosperity was incomparable. <br><br>Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar said there is no alternative before the&nbsp; Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) to work together to take out the country from political transition that it was facing since 2007.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br><br>Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi was of the view of revising the constitution for what he said to protect the rights of dalits and indigenous nationalities and to address the problems hovering over the matters of federalism and citizenship.<br><br></p>

<p>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today said the post-quake reconstruction was being undertaken with transparency, and refuted allegations of discrimination made on basis of political beliefs. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br><br>Addressing the Legislature-Parliament session today, PM Oli maintained that the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) is not working on basis of political belief and that every work undertaken is transparent in nature. <br><br>The PM spoke of modifying the working procedure to ramp up the reconstruction work, and insisted that everyone's concern should be on building a small house and providing relief to the victims. <br><br>Prime Minister Oli also said that the government is committed to fulfill genuine demands of opposition party, saying it is necessary to move ahead by ending transition of the country soon.&nbsp; PM Oli through the Parliament once again urged the agitating Madhes-based parties to come for talks.&nbsp; <br><br></p>

<p>The Embassy of Nepal in Brussels, organized a seminar on ‘Nepal-EU Cooperation: Unlocking Nepal’s Hydropower Potential’ in collaboration with European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) in Brussels on Tuesday. <br><br>Highlighting Nepal’s hydropower potential at the programme, Charge d’ Affaires at Nepal's Permanent Mission in Brussels Mr Ghanshyam Bhandari said that realizing such potential was essential for the country’s socioeconomic development.</p><p>He stated that hydropower development in Nepal could help create job opportunities, enhance income levels, contribute to poverty reduction and propel an overall economic growth. <br><br>Mr. Bhandari called for an enhanced support from the EU and other development partners in terms of harnessing Nepal’s hydropower potential in a sustainable manner.<br><br><br></p>

<p>Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the recent incident in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, aggrieved the entire country and rendered the government speechless.<br><br>Thirteen Nepali security guards working at the Canadian embassy in Kabul were killed in the incident of bomb attack on a bus carrying Nepali security guards in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 20.<br><br>The PM condemned and denounced the incident during an address to the Legislature-Parliament session today. <br><br>The government has arranged for cost-free treatment of those injured in the incident, PM Oli said, while condemning the effort made with an aim to entangle the government's speedy effort in bringing back the dead bodies to Nepal.<br><br></p>

<p>President Bidya Devi Bhandari was paid a courtesy call on by Mr Nashida Kazuya, Director General, Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, at the Presidential Palace at Sheetal Niwas, today. Kazuya is on a two-day official visit to Nepal.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>On the occasion views were exchanged on the Nepal-Japan relations, Japan's continued support to Nepal's development endeavours and the post-earthquake reconstruction, among other issues, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Mr Masashi Ogawa and other high-level officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu were present during the meeting.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; <br><br></p>