Nepal bans schools from using western names

KATHMANDU (AFP) - Nepal said on Monday it was banning secondary schools from using names like "Oxbridge", "White House" and "Nasa" over fears that the education system is losing its Nepali culture.

The announcement follows a series of protests by student and youth groups - sometimes violent - outside schools across the country which have chosen foreign names.

"We have informed the schools to change their name to Nepali. This is clearly written in the laws but several schools were found violating them," education ministry spokesman Janardan Nepal told AFP.

"They will be given enough time to change the names. But it should not take long," Mr Nepal said, without specifying a deadline.