Kathmandu. With the decision to increase the remuneration grant of teachers, early childhood development (ECD) facilitators and school employees working on federal grants, an additional budget of Rs 4.68 billion will be required for the current fiscal year.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday decided to increase the existing salary of teachers working under the Federal Teaching Assistance Grant quota by 10 percent.

With this decision, the monthly salary of secondary level teachers has increased from Rs 43,669 to Rs 48,058. The monthly salary of primary level teachers has been increased from Rs 34,730 to Rs 38,203.

Likewise, an additional five thousand rupees has been added to the remuneration grant provided by the federal government to ECD facilitators, school staffers and school helpers.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Shree Prasad Bhattarai, said that an additional budget of Rs 4.68 billion would be required for the remuneration hike in the current fiscal year. He said that the decision to increase the salary will be implemented after the agreement is reached from the financial system.

As per the new provision, the monthly salary of facilitators has been increased from Rs 12,000 to Rs 17,000, that of school helpers from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 and that of accounts staff from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000.

Nepal National Teachers’ Association president Hansa Bahadur Shahi said although it was natural and positive to see the increase in the 10 per cent increase for all civil servants, the minimum salary of ECD facilitators, school staff and school helpers should be Rs 23,000 per month.

School staff council chair Gangaram Tiwari thanked the government for the increment and demanded that they be given opportunity to serve in the vacancy positions.