Student unions have submitted a memorandum to acting Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, demanding the government to withdraw the ninth amendment to the Education Act-1972.

Gachhadar has assured that he will discuss the Act with all sides concerned, Surendra Basnet, vice-chairman of All Nepal National Free Student Union-Revolutionary (ANNFSU-R), said on Friday.

The memorandum was jointly submitted by the student unions, including ANNFSU-R, Nepal Student Union and All Nepal National Free Student Union.

Basnet said that they were also preparing to submit copies of the memorandum to the top leaders of major political parties The Parliament on Tuesday endorsed the ninth amendment to the Act, paving the way for hundreds of temporary teachers to get permanent status without sitting in competitive tests.

Similarly, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will open vacancy allocating 75 percent reservation for the temporary teachers recruited between August 6, 2004 and July 29, 2016. The rest will be hired through open competition.

It is learnt the endorsement of the Act has paved the way for temporary teachers to get the state benefits even if they fail the test.

Education experts have long been objecting to the amendment, saying that it will bar fresh candidates from getting into the education sector, and that the move will further ruin the already ailing public education sector.

The student unions have also demanded action against medical colleges that charge fees higher than the government-set amount for medical education.

The students urged acting PM Gachhadar not to allow medical colleges to charge higher than Rs 3.5 million for MBBS course and to put an end to the practice of admitting Nepali students in foreign quota seats.