Draft:Scientific Socialist Student Union, Nepal

• Comment: This needs a total re-write. Qcne (talk) 15:02, 18 October 2024 (UTC)

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Category:Students' unions in Nepal

The Scientific Socialist Student Union Nepal (SSSUN) is a student union in Nepal which was founded in 2018. The union aims to establish a scientific socialist education system. This student union is composed of individuals who advocate for students' rights and interests, as well as support the socialist transformation of the education system.

History

The union’s first meeting was held on 13th February 2021, where it was decided that the First National Gathering would be held on 12th and 13th March of that year. A 61-member organizing committee, led by Rajeshwari Subedi, was formed to prepare for the event. The gathering emphasized the role of students in promoting a scientific socialist system and resulted in the formation of a 41-member central committee under Subedi's coordination.In January 2023, at its third regular meeting in Kathmandu, the union bid farewell to Subedi as coordinator. The second national gathering was planned to be held in June 2023, for which a 35-member organizing committee led by Karan B.C. was formed.However the gathering was postponed to March 2024. At the gathering, a new 25-member central committee was elected, with Himanshu as president, Phoolmati as vice president, Hyal Tamang as general secretary, Shamsher as secretary, and Liza Tamang as treasurer.

Objectives

The objectives and programs of the union are as follows:

1. To develop an education system based on socialist principles, opposing the capitalist-oriented system established by globalized capitalism and parliamentary structures.
2. To create an educational framework aimed at removing exploitation, discrimination, and oppression, with the goal of establishing an equitable, classless society.
3. To promote and develop knowledge produced by working and marginalized communities that is relevant to current societal needs.
4. To cultivate an educational workforce aligned with the union’s stated socialist principles.
5. To support initiatives that promote self-reliance in production through the application of modern science and technology.
6. To implement educational programs grounded in socialist values from the early stages of childhood education.
7. To advocate for communal management of education over private ownership.
8. To establish programs aimed at protecting and restoring the environment affected by industrial and capitalist practices.
9. To create an accessible and inclusive educational environment for individuals with all forms of disabilities utilizing appropriate technologies and methodologies.
10. To advocate for national independence and sovereignty, and to challenge any treaties or agreements perceived as detrimental to national interests.
11. To form alliances and tactical unity with democratic and leftist student unions to protect and enhance democratic rights.
12. To initiate unity and polarization with those student unions that share similar ideology and principles.
13. To ensure the right to study in one’s mother tongue and promote the use of technology for the protection of languages.
14. To take initiatives to oppose consumerist, reactionary, and conservative educational practices and to build a scientific materialist culture.
15. To support Nepali students abroad in securing their rights.
16. To engage in cooperative efforts with international organizations that support a scientific socialist education system.
17. To advocate for the rights, interests and dignity of the entire student community.

Structure

Central Committee

The 25-member central committee, elected by the conference with a provision to appoint an additional member at a later date, is comprised of the following members:

Abinash Poudel, Arjun Phuyal, Bam Bahadur Bishwakarma, Bhawana Diyali, Dipa Thapa Magar, Dron Awasthi, Himanshu, Hyal Tamang, Kushal Aviral, Liza Tamang, Phoolmati, Pradeep Bishwakarma, Prem B. Rai, Rinku Rajbhar, Ritu Dadel, Samsher, Sandip Thapa, Sobindra Pariyar, Sofiya Pariyar, Sujata Bhattarai, Sumit Mainali, Surendra Maurati, Tul Raj Bishwakarma.

Departments

1. School and Publication Department
2. Dalit Students
3. Female Students Department
4. Oppressed Nation Students Department
5. Cultural Department
6. Law Students Department
7. Disability Department
8. Discipline Department
9. Production Department
10. Publicity Department

Movements and Struggles

The union has organized various programs, including movements and street protests, on multiple issues to reform the education system. The Kathmandu University Bureau of the union led a movement to advocate for accessible and disability-inclusive physical and communication infrastructure.The union has also focused on addressing issues related to sexual violence and other forms of abuse against students.It has engaged in protests against educational corruption, inequality, commercialization, privatization, and alleged external influence within the education system.Additionally, the union protested against the corruption in student leader elections.It has frequently staged demonstrations calling for the cancellation of fee increases by CTEVT, with some union-led protests involving the closure of CTEVT offices. The union also participated in actions against price hikes in collaboration with other student unions.The union has addressed management issues in public education as well and advocates for the reduction of privatization in this sector.

Core Beliefs

In most Nepalese student unions, an individual remains in a particular responsibility for life, limiting opportunities for new members to participate. To eradicate this, a system of periodic responsibility has been established at all levels of the union. The second national conference of the union decided that the maximum age limit for members and office-bearers in the central committee should not exceed 28 years at the time of election.

As individuals are to be engaged as regular students only during a certain age group and period of time in their lives, this union supports a faster pace of membership rotation and leadership transition. To strengthen the internal democracy of this union, it shall conduct a national gathering/conference/convention every two years.

Freedom of expression and consistency in actions are key aspects of the union's approach. This allows members to openly express their opinions for idea formation or policy-making. The process of making decisions through discussion and consensus has also been guaranteed in the union. It has also adopted the policy that aims to make changes through unity, debate, and the development of new ideas.

The union recognizes the problem of leadership styles based on hierarchy among members in various positions within most student unions has affected the student movement. It seeks to reform hierarchical structures to promote equality. Office-bearers holding different responsibilities within this union occupy different positions only in terms of duties, not in rank. and all students are considered equal members of the union.

Student unions traditionally function under the direction of political parties associated with them. However, this union is operates independently and it is a front organization that does not wait for the instructions of the associated party. Based on ideological proximity and agreement, it considers the Scientific Socialist Communist Party, Nepal its ally party, which cannot participate in the union's internal decision-making processes. It can only offer opinions, suggestions, and advice limiting its role to coordination establishing a degree of autonomy. To support the implementation of decisions and provide necessary consultation, the ally party may assign a facilitator. However, the executive authority of the student organization is exercised by its members.

External Links

• वैज्ञानिक समाजवादी विद्यार्थी संगठन, नेपाल on Facebook
• Kathmandu University-Scientific Socialist Student Union on Facebook