Only 11 private schools have officially changed their foreign names, abiding by the rules enforced by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Officials at the education department of the metropolis said that around 150 private schools in the Capital had agreed to change their names but have yet to do so due to a case filed in the court.

“So far, 11 schools have changed their names through the Office of the Company Registrar, and we have endorsed the new names,” said Shailendra Jha, a member of the municipal planning commission. “We, too, could not enforce our decision mandatorily, as the case related to this issue is sub judice in court.”

In March this year, the municipal office gave 324 institutional schools operating within its jurisdiction 35 days to change their foreign names. As per Rule 154 (1) of the Education Regulations, 2059 (2002), and Rule (70) of the KMC School Education Management Regulations 2018, schools must adopt names that reflect Nepali identity.

The city office asked the schools to choose names of renowned persons who have contributed significantly to the country, popular cultural icons, historical places and deities, mythology, and pilgrimage sites.

According to Jha, schools running +2 and bachelor programmes have not decided on the new names, as they are confused about what to do while issuing copies of missing educational certificates [issue them under the old names or new ones].

Officials said that all schools operating in the KMC with foreign names had come in contact and expressed their readiness to change the name. Later, some schools refused to abide by the metropolis' decision and filed a lawsuit in court.

Officials had warned that the metropolis would not dispatch school inspectors during board examinations to those schools that failed to change their foreign names by the deadline. This could make the examinations conducted by such schools invalid.

The metropolis said that out of the over 850 schools operating there, 324 have foreign names.