Kathmandu - This week there was multiple coverage of unfortunate international news related to education. Among others, this week again news of violence in academic institutions was reported as at least 19 students lost their lives as gunmen stormed Kabul University, Afghanistan. Other news about physical punishment to Nepali students in a private Buddhist school in Dehradun, India was the most followed news. Schools opening in some municipalities and closing in some, in response to Covid Pandemic were also covered. News about the Ministry's plan to combine two academic years, and fee dispute in KU was also among the reports this week.

Conflicts between private school operators and parents are escalating as local levels do not set fees for online classes, reported the media. This is one of the issues often mentioned but not followed up towards the conclusion. It remains as a tall evidence of chaos reining in the education sector. Other news stated that Students in Sindhuli district have to pay double examination fee to join the grade 11 examination which was stopped due to COVID pandemic. Student leader Utpal Khadka was reported demanding that the decision to be reviewed as it would be unfair to make student pay double for same examination fee. He also warned the students will not remain silent in case of re consideration of this fee.

Another news stated that due to the Corona Pandemic, there has been a fee dispute at KU, which has been offering virtual education. Students have expressed dissatisfaction after the University demanded them to pay the fees for online classes as if they were conducting classes in the classrooms.

There are few news relating to the Municipalities and education. According to the news, the controversy has erupted after the Brahmapuri Municipality, Sarlahi District transferred and demoted five teachers of Shree Subedar Nandlal Jananta Secondary School in Bheli who had been raising their voices against irregularities. It is alleged that the people's representatives and employees of the village municipality have been demanding commission from the school development budget. Byas Municipality in Damauli has urged not to open schools operated in the municipal areas till November 17 keeping the spread of coronavirus infection in mind. A stakeholders meeting held under the chairmanship of Mayor in the municipality decided not to conduct physical classes as COVID cases had increased in the area stated the news as people with common cold increased due to the change in weather. 

One anther news reported that all schools of Namkha Rural Municipality have started physical classes this week. The news also informed that three schools in ward no. 6 of the municipality continued to run schools throughout the pandemic. Chairperson of the municipality stated that the decision was made after public consultation with stakeholders.
The news also reported that the COVID pandemic has hit schools of Karnali region even harder as the pandemic affected their academic year from the beginning, and that not a single class has been conducted this year. Students themselves reported that they are not confident about attending exams and upgrading grades as they haven’t had a single class. 

The news also reported that emphasizing on self-employment education, Manikamadevi Mavli of Dharche Rural municipality -4 Laprak was reported to have started education in tourism and mountaineering. The school is the first in Gandaki Province to start teaching these subjects in 11th and 12th Grade to increase students' attraction to tourism. Principal Dhan Kumar Gurung informed that the study has been started to increase the practical and theoretical knowledge since as 75 percent of the young generation in the Rural Municipality is involved in the tourism sector. The news also stated that this will benefit parents as well equally as students as many parents are also involved in tourism.

An opinion article this week stated that the COVID pandemic has put the spotlight on the ever-increasing structural imbalances in school education in terms of rural-urban, rich and poor and gender divide.  It stated that technology has been considered central to the reform of school education and has gained unprecedented momentum during this pandemic. It alerted that technology is being perceived as a primary solution to combat all schooling-related issues, thus the hurry to transfer classrooms into the virtual world without taking into consideration the reach to all learners. It called that the government should come forward with a specific policy perspective on a post-Covid response to education. It called for plans to address the specific academic needs and psycho-social needs of children once they return to school as well as strategies to mitigate COVID-induced issues related to the management of schools, addressing emerging learning gaps among children, and training for teachers to use the principles of blended learning.

This week the most followed story on education was about physical punishment in a school of Dehradun, where 51 Nepali students were beaten by the principal, when they applied for a leave of absence  to return to Nepal for Dashain festival. 

Figure: Principle and Rinpoche Gyanbajra of Sakya Academy and pictures of students beaten by the principle. It was reported that the students were beaten for requesting leave for Dashain vacation. 

Follow up news also reported of students who fled from the school to Nepal. There were reports of students and teachers of Nepali nationality being locked against their will to stay in the hostel. The news later reported that many of the students were not satisfied by the services of the school and were actually planning to leave the school and never return. 

An op-ed on ‘Rape and Sex Education’ stated that education should be one of the strong tools to address increasing cases of rape by young adults. It stated that no person is born with a criminal mindset and that circumstances, learning and upbringing cause them to become a criminal. It stated that strict laws and life imprisonment alone would not solve and avoid rape cases and it will need early awareness and education about sex and gender among children in timely and efficient manner. 

An opinion article by CEPP’s Member-secretary focusing on the socio-political dynamics forthe degradation of education in Madhesh stated that historic political negligence and socio-cultural disconnect between central government and the population, lack of just investment in Madhesh from the rulers of the past and the present.  The article called for the Government's action and civil movement to ensure justice from historical socio-political injustice  with Life Skills Education integrated  with their mother-tongue.  

This week it was reported that The Ministry has made internal preparations to move forward by merging the current year's session and the 2078 session. For that, the Ministry has prepared a draft of 'School Operating Framework'. The 2077 academic session has been lost due to the COVID pandemic. 

The news also reported about the increase in mental health illness and  6 suicide cases of Nepali students in Australaai this year.  

Other news of the week are: National Medical College, Birgunj is collecting one lakh more from students by threatening to deprive students of exams; Allocation  of 4,005 centers for30,600students in Grade 12 examination; NSU demonstration demanding free trial and treatment of COVID; NSU demands release of Ojha who was arrested from Kailali for thrashing TU, Sociology Associate Professor; The Principal of Dandabagh Primary School in Dilashani RM, Baitadi District who went out to collect the salary was found dead; TU part-time lecturer could not get salary for a year.

'Education this Week' is a joint effort to analyze the press coverage of education in Nepal’s selected print and online media published in Kathmandu. The main aim of this effort is to identify and explain major education issues picked up by the media and give back and foreground of the news. This, we believe, will help policy makers and other responsible people to keep abreast with ongoing concerns and discussions on and around education. EduKhabar, in collaboration with the Center for Educational Policies and Practices (CEPP) , has produced this analysis based on the news printed in Kantipur (Nepali) and The Himalayan Times (English), Dailies and online news portal SetoPati, NayaPatrika and My Republica between 28 October – 3 November, 2020 (12-18 Kartik, 2077) - Editor.

Read this analysis in Nepali : शुल्क, महामारी र हिंसा केन्द्रित साता