Kathmandu: The newly appointed Prime Minister Balen Shah-led government has taken a bold decision to make Nepal’s education sector completely free from political interference. Under the government’s publicly released “100-Point Governance Reform Action Plan,” it has been announced that within the next 60 days, all structures and offices of political party-affiliated student organizations will be removed from school and university campuses. Instead of party-backed student groups, the government plans to establish a non-political Student Council within 90 days to genuinely represent the interests of students. However, student organizations of major political parties have warned of strong protests, calling this a “ideological ban.”
Meanwhile, following the September 2025 “Gen Z” movement, public debate and opposition have intensified over the roles of certain non-governmental organizations and foreign bodies. Activists and various citizen groups have accused the Barbara Foundation of “hijacking” the youth movement to serve Western interests and have demanded either its dissolution or a detailed investigation. Additionally, the American Youth Council (USYC), operated by the U.S. Embassy, has been criticized for influencing Nepali youth through “soft power,” putting pressure on the government to regulate such organizations as well. The Barbara Foundation, however, has clarified that it operates with full transparency and has no financial involvement in any political movement.
