Kathmandu: Nepal's Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai has tendered her resignation from the post amid pressure from agitating teachers over their demands, including salary hike.

However, Education Minister Bhattarai cited health reasons for her decision to resign, a sentiment that Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli echoed on Tuesday.

Bhattarai's decision to resign on Monday came on the 20th day of the agitation by tens of thousands of school teachers whose demands mainly include introduction and passing of the School Education Bill and hiking their salary and perks.

The agitating teachers belong to the Nepal Teachers Association affiliated to ruling Nepali Congress, Nepal Teachers Organisation affiliated to the CPN-UML, and the Nepal Revolutionary Teachers' Organisation belonging to the main opposition CPN-Maoist.

The agitating teachers have vowed to continue their peaceful protests till their demands were not addressed.

The School Education Bill, which is under consideration in the Parliament, aims at bringing quality reforms in the school education sector, securing jobs to the teachers and annual increment in their pays and perks in a reasonable way.

Nabin Dhami, an agitating teacher, said, We are demanding some corrective measures in the proposed Bill so as to properly address our demands.

He, however, did not elaborate on the steps needed to improve the bill.

Meanwhile, Oli on Tuesday denied media reports that her resignation was out of his differences with the minister and non-cooperation from the Prime Minister.

Stating that she is the minister he appointed and has been working closely with, Oli said, She has been unwell lately, and that's why she resigned. There is no reason for unnecessary speculation.

Oli was speaking at a programme organised by CPN-UML to 76th establishment day of Nepal Communist Party here.

A source close to the Prime Minister said that the government would need at least Rs 100 billion annually if the salary and facilities of the agitated teachers are hiked as per their demand.

Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel is reluctant to allocate the additional amount of money in the forthcoming budget to fulfill the teachers' demand, the source added.