KATHMANDU - The Medical Education Commission (MEC) called for applications for the number of seats from private colleges who wish to run MD, MS and MDS but none of 17 private medical colleges in the country applied, there was the news. Based on application MEC allocates the number of seats to the colleges every year for these post-graduate programs.

It was mentioned in the news that the private medical colleges were exploiting the doctors studying post-graduate levels – they are paid mere 20 thousand rupees (under US$ 150) a month; they are said not to have applied after the MEC instructed that they should pay a monthly stipend equal to the salary of the 8th level Medical Officer i.e. 48 thousand rupees (almost US$. 360). There was news in Kantipur daily that private medical colleges have taken the stand of not running post graduate medical programmes if they have to pay the amount set by the MEC. 

Postgraduate students of medical science are already qualified doctors who are put to work by the private medical colleges paying the subsistence allowance way below the amount specified in the law, the media published. The MEC had asked  the private colleges for compliance; it is understood that the private medical colleges have syndicated not to apply for the seats in protest for the need for compliance.

The practice of employing medical students as doctors and paying them subsistence allowance at reasonable rate is seen all over the world. Private medical colleges of Nepal have been violating the law and regulations for more profit. Owners of private medical colleges are said to be doing this under the protection of political parties and their leaders. It seems that the decision taken by the Chairperson of the MEC and Prime Minister and the government will make it clear whether they will confirm or deny the allegations.

We can imagine what happens to ordinary people when the doctors are exploited. It is obvious, if they are exploited now, people will be further exploited by them later! When the issues of underpayment of school assistants or the teachers of ECDE would be attended ? 

After the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) published a notice that the students who complete a medical education in Bangladesh have to do the internship in Bangladesh. This has infuriated the concerned students. Nepali students who study medicine in Bangladesh have been demanding got the arrangement of internship in Nepal.

Similarly, there is news that the students who have given the Integrated Entrance Examination of medical education are protesting demanding to show their Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets. It was mentioned in the news that after MEC published the results of the entrance exam held on August 17, students started protesting. According to the news, the ranking of the students who scored equal in the entrance examination, the order of students was in contrary to the rules. MEC corrected the rankings and this created controversy. The MEC has been saying that the OMR cannot be provided.

The MEC has determined the number of seats to be given to three health science institutes run by the government and one private medical college for teaching subjects in the Bachelor of Medical Education including MBBS. Seats have been allocated for Madhesh Institute of Health Sciences Janakpur, Rapti Institute of Health Sciences Dang and Pokhara Institute of Health Sciences Pokhara. It was also mentioned in the news that government medical colleges are now operating in six out of seven provinces.

The first convocation of Karnali Institute of Health Sciences has been postponed at the last minute, the news published. The ceremony, in which chief guest was supposed to be the Prime Minister, was postponed after the Prime Minister canceled his attendance at the last moment, the news mentioned. A total of 56 undergraduate and postgraduate students were to be initiated in the convocation, news quoted.

In the MoEST, Minister Vidya Bhattarai has signed a performance agreement with Education Secretary Dr. Deepak Kafle and Science and Technology Secretary Vishwa Babu Pudasaini, the news published. After the performance agreement between Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the ministers, Minister Bhattarai also made an agreement with the secretaries in the ministry, the news mentioned.

There was news that the MoEST has asked for suggestions on the draft of 'nutritional day meal format based on local product' to promote local (raithane) production in mid-day meals served in schools. What kind of policy is needed for day meal in the schools? What are the ways to increase the production of local food items and promote local production in connection with school day meal? How can food safety and hygiene be protected in the nutrition of school day meal? Suggestions were asked on these and other matters, news mentioned.

Similarly, there was news that the MoEST Minister and Council President Vidya Bhattarai has asked complaints through social media after receiving complains about financial transactions in Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT). There have been complains of unnecessary trouble in CTEVT on affiliations, examinations, certificates etc. by the chief of the office, director and staff, news mentioned.

There was news in Ratopati that Tribhuvan University (TU) has prepared to ban the use of social media by its its staff during office hours. After receiving complains that employees are busy in social media such as Tik Tok, Facebook, YouTube during office hours, TU has put forward a plan to control it, news quoted.

The Office of the Rector of TU, Curriculum Development Center (CDC) issued a public notice that they cannot give equivalence to those who admitted to under-graduate level before the publication of class 12th examination results, attended the first semester examination without being admitted to the university, news mentioned. And also those who enrolled late and appeared for more than one semester examination at a time or appearing in 3 or more regular semester examinations in the same year and a 4-year course degree completed in three and a half years or less in the abroad universities or institutions cannot get equivalence, news quoted.

There was news that teaching and learning at the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Rampur, Chitwan has been halted due to the fight between the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML affiliated student organizations. The University has been padlocked since 31st of August after a fight between the activists of the NC and UML students, news mentioned. Due to this, besides halting regular teaching and entrance examination for under-graduate level also could not be conducted, the University mentioned. Amidst the padlocking, the 13th Assembly of the University was held in the presence of the Prime Minister and Chancellor KP Sharma Oli, and Joint-Chancellor and MoEST Minister Vidya Bhattarai at the Prime Minister's Residence Baluwatar. The education and examination of more than 4 thousand students of the University has been disrupted, but it was not on the agenda of the Senate, the news covered in the Kantipur daily.

There was news that the elections scheduled for Friday of the Free Students' Union of Midwest University has been postponed. The election was postponed after the Surkhet High Court issued a short-term interim order to stop the election while hearing a petition filed by a student, mentioned in the news.

The bill regarding the establishment of Nepal University has been passed by both houses of the federal parliament, the news published.

Despite the long campaign of making Nepali people literate, there are still 6.4 million illiterate, the news came. 11 billion 66 crore 41 lakh (US$ 87 million) government budget was spent for the literacy campaign during 16 years, quoted the news.

There was news that an agreement has been reached between the Chinese Embassy and the Pokhara Metropolitan City to teach Chinese language for free in public schools in Pokhara. According to the news, in the first phase extra classes of Chinese language will be conducted in 10 public schools, , apart from the school curriculum for one year.

There was news that computer education has started to be used again in public schools of Kalikot. The mandatory computer education of classes 6-8, which was abolished by the National Curriculum Framework-2076, has been resumed, news mentioned. After making science and technical education compulsory from Class 6 to 10, computer education has been re-started, news quoted.

Nowadays, the use of computers is becoming mandatory in people's lives. Therefore, computer education attracts parents. It seems that the reason for this attraction is to promote computer education in schools. In Nepal, there is a common thought that technology is a special skill. But if people do not have the ability to use technology, technology will not give any return.

Therefore, students need computer skills but not computer education. Computer education in schools is not teaching computer skills but teaching in textbooks about computer. It seems that it has developed a mindset of considering the machine to be special and adding burden to the students rather than benefiting them. It should do more harm than good!

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 pedagogy 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 news portals Online Khabar, Setopati and Ratopati and Himalaya TV and Nepal Television from 7 - 13 September 2024 are covered – The Editor.

Read it in Nepali : चिकित्सा शिक्षामा भद्रगोल !

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