KATHMANDU, June 29: Some 8,500 private schools around Nepal attended by 1.5 million students were shut down indefinitely from Sunday to ward off protests by leftist students demanding lower tuition, administrators said.

A group representing the schools said classes could not continue because protesters have been locking up administrators’ offices and have refused to compromise in two days of talks that broke down overnight.

“This decision affects 8,500 institutions where 1.5 million boys and girls are studying,” said Umesh Shrestha, head of the Private Boardings and Schools Organization.—AFP