Kathmandu - In the Plans and Policies presented by the Government of Nepal for the financial year 2081/082, ensure that all children get basic education within five years, modification of lunch program in schools to promote consumption of local product, programs such as sending university students to internships to fill the shortage of English, Math and Science teachers in secondary schools and to tighten the legal system to prevent school teachers from being members of political parties were proposed, the news was published and broadcast last. There was news that the concept of 'one municipality one smart school', that was not implemented last year, has been put forward again this year. There are programs such as extending the disadvantage group targeted scholarship up to class 12 also included in the Plans and Policies, mentioned the news.

It was mentioned in the news that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) has been taking action against the teachers in the executive positions of the party is going on to enforce the law, the Plans and Policies of the government also give emphasis to strengthen the action. 

Like every year, the government has completed the ritual of submitting Plans and Policies to the Parliament, this year too. In this fiscal year's Plans and Policies, the previous year's many programs have been repeated. It seems that the government has not been able to implement the programs announced in the Plans and Policies. The government has recalled the provision in the Compulsory and Free Education Act, 2075 that everyone reaching 14 years in 2085 (i.e. in less than 5 years from now!) must have basic level education (grade 8th) in its proposed Plans and Policies – delivered in the parliament by the President on behalf of the government. 'One municipality, one smart school', was also proposed last year. Such a programme costs money but does not ensure learning delivered without adequate preparation.

The Education Bill, 2080 around which many educational issues are hanging, is under discussion in the concerned parliamentary committee, was not even mentioned. No attention was paid by any media to note this matter. The government has accepted the shortage of English, Mathematics and Science teachers in the secondary level in its Plans and policies and proposed to send university student as intern teacher to schools, but it has to be tested in practice how useful the suggested measures are for the time being. It is obvious that shortage of teachers in schools will continue to increase in coming times. Shortage of teachers in those subjects will be higher as few students are interested to study subjects such as Mathematics and Science. It is felt that these Plans and Policies have not been able to find a reliable and long-term solution in order to attract competent human resources in teaching.

Prof. Dr. Mana Prasad Wagle wrote a Letter to the Editor in Kantipur saying that the government is trying to confuse the public by repeating old programs in the Plans and Policies and criticized the Education Minister stating that Studying abroad and speaking loudly on crucial issues does not make efficient and experience is also required to do good work.

It has been reported that the Center for Education and Human Resource Development has sent a letter to the Education Development and Coordination Unit of the district requesting details of the actions taken against the teachers and school employees who are members of the working committee of political parties. It was mentioned in the news that the center has sent a letter to submit the details within 15 days about the action taken. 

The issue of difference in the list of students selected for graduation in medical science by the Nepal Medical Education Commission and the list approved by Bangladesh has not yet been resolved. The commission had selected the students for scholarship through an integrated entrance examination. The list recommended by the commission was sent to Bangladesh for approval by the Ministry of Education through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The commission had recommended 22 students for MBBS and BDS studies in Bangladesh, but the names of 10 students have changed, according to the news. Even though Nepal has sent a 'diplomatic note' to Bangladesh government, it has not received a reply, mentioned in the news. When the Minister of Education discussed the difference in the list with the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal, the latter replied that the Government of Bangladesh should know the matter (not him), the news quoted. The students who are on the government's list are in limbo because this matter has not been resolved, mentioned the news.

Due to a large number of students from Nepal going abroad for higher education, there was news that there is a shortage of students in the universities of Nepal. There was news in Ratopati newsportal that this issue was discussed in the 'Student Festival 2081' organized by the student organization of CPN-UML at Bhrikuti Mandap.

Netra Chapagai, the president of Samajwadi Vidyarthi Union, a student organization close to Nepal Samajwadi Party led by Baburam Bhattarai, has been protesting at Maitighar Mandla since May 2, demanding reforms for early childhood development education (ECDE).

President Chapagai has been innovative in two ways than what various student organizations and student leaders. He has raised the demand for the quality of elementary level education, which the student organization are not interested in, and he has shown that it is possible to make their demands and draw attention to them in a gentler way than organizing rallies and loud sloganeering. 

There is news that the Pharping Secondary School, which was established 104 years ago in Pharping, could not take admissions according to the number of students due to lack of classrooms. The educational quality of the school, that had been deteriorating for a few decades, started to increase since 2075, after which local parents applied more than the capacity of the school.
The news came by quoting the statement of Deepak Adhikari, Assistant Spokesperson of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) that it is preparing to start an Electronic Attendance System (e-Attendance) of students due to complaints of corruption in mid-day meals in schools for reporting higher number than the students present. It was mentioned in the news that devices have been installed in 84 schools in the Metropolis.

The government has provided a budget for mid-day meals to schools at the rate of Rs. 15 per student up to class 5. There is also a guideline on what should be the menu for midday meal. It is said that the midday meal program will be modified to provide nutritious, fresh and quality meal to the basic level students by using local products.

It was reported that for a long time, students are forced to study sitting on the floor due to the lack of furniture in Madarsas operating in Narainapur Rural Municipality of Banke district, which is considered remote and backward. It was mentioned in the news that 700 students of Siraziya Israrul Ulum Madarsa are forced to study on the floor for the lack of desk and benches.

After the news of the Chepang family compelled to eat poisonous mushrooms in Kanda of Chitwan came to light, there was news in Kantipur that the lifestyle and income have also changed after the school was opened up to the basic level with the help of various organizations. It was mentioned in the news that 155 students from Chepang and 5 from other communities are studying in Kanda's school in this academic session.

Another news was that students in Butwal are not able to get textbooks for 'local' subject even after a month since the start of the new academic session.

Local curriculum should be and can be taught without a textbook. Due to the lack of necessary awareness of related authorities and the lack of necessary orientation for the teachers, importance of curriculum- based teaching is minimized. This kind of teaching could be the beginning of transforming the entire education system. The ability to teach based on the curriculum is a prerequisite for creative learning. Attention of stakeholders is elsewhere than in learning. Issue of textbooks comes up on priority for personal vested interests. The media is also oblivious to such issues, it seems that they give importance to the news and comments about the lack of textbooks.

Image of teacher Ganga Gyawali, who was retired after 38 years of teaching at Saraswati Secndary School in Tamnagar, Butwal Sub-metropolitan City of Rupandehi, kneeling in the front yard and kissing the ground has gone viral, Online Khabar newsportal news posted.

Chancellor of Tribhuvan University (TU) and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal appointed Prof. Dr. Ajay Bhattarai a member of the University Service Commission, there was news. The Member Recommendation Committee chaired by the Minister of MoEST recommended Dr Bhattarai for the post where eight people had applied for the position.

Six professors' organizations related to TU have demanded that the results of the examinations conducted by the university be made public within 90 days. There was news that a memorandum was submitted to the Vice-Chancellor.

Speaking to the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee of the House of Representatives regarding the encroached land of the University, the Registrar of the University Prof. Dr. Kedar Rizal has said that the land of the University is being used also by few government agencies and the government's help is needed to bring it back - it has been reported. The news came that Registrar Rizal presented it in the committee that 7.5 acre land in the name of Republic Memorial, 19 acres by BP Koirala Science Museum, and 35 acres by Temperate Horticulture Center under the Ministry of Agriculture are being used. 

In another news, about 10 ropanis of land of TU has been seized and a stone, gravel and sand depot has been operated. News came in Kantipur that the land of TU's Agro-biology National Laboratory building complex has also been overtaken by the depot.

A feature story published in Kantipur daily talks about about Dhruv Kumar Gautam, the VC of the Midwest University, gives a detail of his four-year tenure. He made the faculty aware of the university's problems, cooperated with the Provincial government to address the physical infrastructure needs, and was enthusiastic in gathering the resources needed to attract South Asian students making with globally competitive learning environment for the . 

It has been reported that Ram Ashish Yadav, Member of Parliament of Madhesh Province, started taking classes in schools focusing on current social situation, environment, pollution, climate change, etc.

He is also a social activist and has been active in protecting the environment of Madhesh, including cleaning Janakpur's ponds. It is desirable for the media to monitor the work of such people and know the background of motivation.

The purpose of this news review is to classify and synthesize the educational content of the week and provide objective comments from the point of view of social justice and creative padagogy to the policy makers and stakeholders in one place. In this joint effort of Center for Education Policy and Practice (CEPP) and Edukhbar, the news of daily newspapers Kantipur, Gorkhapatra and The Himalayan Times, online newsportals Online Khabar, Setopati and Ratopati and Himalaya TV and Nepal Television from 11-17 May 2024 are covered - Editor.

Please click for read previous weeks content : Last week in Education