The student wing of the anti-government guerrillas of Nepal has padlocked at least nine schools in eastern Nepal demanding that the government revoke the transfer of management of government schools to the local community, Radio Nepal reported Saturday.

The nine schools of Udayapur district, some 300 km east of Kathmandu, remain shut down following threats from the guerrillas-affiliated union, All Nepal National Independent Students' Union -Revolutionary (ANNISU-R).

The ANNISU-R also posted notices on the walls of schools, which urged the government to revoke its decision. The notices read that the schools would remain closed until their demand was met.

District Education Office said an estimated 15,000 students have been affected by the shutdown, which came at the peak study hour.

The government, with the support from World Bank, has begun the transfer of the management of state-aided schools to the School Management Committee, a body of local people, the radio added.

Source: Xinhua