All schools within Bhaktapur Municipality will continue operating under the existing academic calendar, in defiance of a federal government directive, officials said.

Mayor Sunil Prajapati said the federal decision on education was “impractical” and could not be implemented locally. He argued that adding 52 extra holidays in a year would make it difficult to complete the academic course on time. He also said the federal government should not interfere in the constitutional authority of local governments and should consult them before making decisions.

A meeting of the municipal executive on Thursday decided that all community, private and guthi-run schools would operate as per the pre-approved academic calendar. Classes in Bhaktapur schools will now begin on Sunday, with only Saturdays observed as the weekend.

Earlier, the Centre for Education and Human Resource Development, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur, had issued a circular on April 9, following a Cabinet decision on April 5, instructing that the 2083 BS academic session begin from April 28 with a two-day weekend.

However, organisations, including the Private and Boarding Schools' Organisation Nepal, National Private and Boarding Schools' Association, Nepal, Public Educational Trust Schools' Association Nepal, and Higher Institutions and Secondary Schools' Association Nepal, had objected to the two-day weekend, saying it would reduce teaching days and make it difficult to complete the curriculum’s credit hours.

The Bhaktapur District Parents’ Association also submitted a memorandum to the municipality, demanding that schools operate on Sundays and that the academic session begin from April 14.

Bhaktapur has joined local units implementing their own academic calendars, disobeying the federal government’s directive.

In Tanahun, Anbukhaireni Rural Municipality has already begun student enrolment and classroom teaching from April 15. Rural municipality chair Shukra Chuman said the municipality decided to start academic activities earlier, arguing that local governments have constitutional authority over basic and secondary education. The rural municipality has issued a notice allowing community and private schools to conduct enrolment and regular classes from that date.

Devghat Rural Municipality in Tanahun has also set its own schedule, deciding to begin enrolment from April 15 and regular classes on Sunday. Chair Til Bahadur Thapa said the decision was taken in line with the municipality’s academic calendar, instructing schools to carry out enrolment, annual planning and textbook distribution accordingly.

In Pyuthan, Jhirmruk Rural Municipality has directed both community and private schools to start student enrolment from April 15, while classroom teaching will begin from April 28. Meanwhile, Tarkeshwar Rural Municipality in Nuwakot has decided not to observe Sunday as a public holiday in schools, saying teaching institutions should remain open to avoid learning loss and ensure continuity in academic activities.