Kathmandu - The news about discussions on federal School Education Bill (SEB) last week was carried by the most media. The Chair of the Parliament's Education, Health and Information Technology Committee said that the Bill could be passed only in consensus on the eight issues identified by the committee as being in controversy to advance the SEB. 

According to the news, the committee has stressed that issues such as the management of private schools, the implementation of free education policy, the jurisdiction of the local government and the agreement with teachers, the teachers' loyalty and their career development, the model of school education, ways to make school education scientific, professional, ways for making teachers refrain from party-politics, making conditions of teachers’ services uniform (one type - not temporary, relief, contractual etc) and  the school merger etc. should be sorted out first. 

There was news that the committee has also listened to an array of experts on the matters to be included in the Bill. In the meeting with the committee, the experts emphasized that the Bill should make the education sector non-profit (service oriented) and strengthen public education and school education should remain under the purview of local governments, the news covered the Kantipur daily. Similarly, there is unanimity among the experts on the issue that teachers must refrain from party-politics, mentioned the news. Kedar Bhakta Mathema, an educationist and former Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Tribhuvan University (TU), was quoted emphasizing prohibition of for-profit schools and teachers should be responsible to the school management committee.

Similarly, educationist Pro Min B Bista stated that Nepal's education system is trapped in the maze of interests of political parties, businessmen, employees and teachers, and every page of the bill transmits an odor of partisanship and bureaucracy, the news mentioned. Professor Binay Kusiyat emphasized on the need for being clear in the vision of how education should be, the news covered. 

It was reported that although experts in the education sector have suggested converting private schools into Guthi (not-for-profit trusts), the Chief Whips of the parties' have suggested that the law should have provision for-profit schools and should be regulated. 

The government has adopted a dual education policy for the rich and for the poor and is preparing to introduce a law that will benefit private schools and kill the spirit of the constitution, Himalaya TV broadcasted report. Major political parties are trying to bring a law to protect for-profit schools in the name of regulation, the news mentioned. Showing the lack of regularity of students in government schools, poor standard of teaching, decreasing number of students, they tried to bring a bill to benefit private schools, quoted the report. 

Not only the discussions in the parliamentary committee, the main leaders of the main political parties are heard arguing that public (alias community) schools are improved, private schools will be closed automatically. However, until the political parties are able to analyze that deterioration of public schools is due to private schools, and as long as there are for-profit schools, there is little chance of improvement of public schools. 

The existence of fee-paying private schools also violates the right to equality provided by the constitution and the right of all children to receive free education. Not many parents took their children to private schools by choice. 

School is not just a place to learn to read and write and earn marks. It is a main means of socializing children.  Public education brings children of any religion, caste, gender, economic status, language, and region. It helps children to know their society in the classes and schools and to find commonalities and differences. It strengthens social cohesion.

Private schools segregate children based on their economic status that is often interwoven into caste and creeds sowing the seeds of conflict for the future. It seems that the policy makers are trying to keep for-profit schools by interpreting the provision of constitution of free education only applicable to those who study in the public schools. One often cited reason is that a large number of political leaders and cadres have beneficial relationship with private schools. When policy makers and influencers focus on their investments and their cadres and, that discrimination occurring through education will increase even more. Therefore, the ESB should be able to provide a clear direction towards making the issue of private investment non-profit thus, service oriented. 

Some have been arguing for decades for strong regulation if not elimination of for-profit private schools. Now existence of private schools is a reality. It may be necessary to minimize their side effects and regulate them but if such is uttered beforehand, the prestige of the Minister herself will be unnecessarily negatively affected. Even all private schools can be nationalized if the state wants so with a political consent!

The Land Investigation and Search Committee of TU has found that around 2400 ropani (around 300 Acres) of land has been embezzled and encroached upon. About 1000 (around 125 acres) ropani of land around the university was lost, 1000 ropani (around 125 acres) of land was encroached in other places and it was discovered that about 50 acres land in Lubhu and Pulchok of Lalitpur has been out of the university’s use for years, the news mentioned. 

It was reported that deans of eight Institutes and Faculties and Heads of 18 Campuses have not yet been appointed due to disagreements among the members of the Executive Council of the TU belonging to different political parties. There was news that the ruling CPN (UML) has been expressing its dissatisfaction with the process of appointing meritocratically selected Deans and Campus Chiefs and pressurized to share the positions among the main parties.

The Comment of UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel 'staging an ugly drama of meritocracy in the appointment of deans in the university' in the social media has also become a topic of discussion. It was mentioned in the news what Mr Pokharel wrote: "They are staging an ugly drama of meritocracy to prohibit people from a certain ideological group joining in the university. . . TU will not progress with such activities, it will collapse further”. There were comments on this matter in the media. In the TU assembly, the Ex-officio Chancellor PM KP Oli said that he did not interfere in the selection but emphasized on merit based appointment.  

There was another news that 11 policies have been adopted by the TU Assembly. These included reconsideration of minimum qualifications for teaching in the University; policies to organize University Service Eligibility Test for teaching in TU and affiliated campuses or colleges; developing and operating non-credit courses following the demand of the labor market, mentioned the news. 

It was reported that 12 people have applied for the post of VCs of Pokhara University, six for the University of Agriculture and Forestry and 13 for the Nepal Sanskrit University.

There is news that only 11 thousand candidates out of 119 thousand passed  the Lower Secondary Level teaching license examination administered by the Teachers Service Commission. 
There was news that the Karnali Province Government has continued the construction of residential school buildings in remote areas. It was mentioned in the news that the plan of building construction has continued to be implemented through the municipalities.

PM KP Oli has said that in order to improve the quality of education, modern and quality education should be available. PM's statement came at the inauguration ceremony of the newly constructed building of Pranami Secondary School at Athrai in Tehrathum, news published.

There was news that Triveni Secondary School of Palungtar Municipality in Gorkha has started strawberry farming to connect students with income generation. It was mentioned in the news that the agricultural students from class 9 to 12 participate in strawberry farming with the help of Krishi Gyan Kendra (Agricultural Knowledge Center) Gorkha. 

The news came to at the Kantipur that Siddheshwari Anath Tatha  Janajati Basic School in Pokhre Lake, Budhinanda Municipality of Bajura is teaching to students who have to sit on stones on thick snow. They had to do so because the room was extremely cold and roof was leaking, mentioned the news. Images of this were also carried by the media. 

There was news that CPN (majority) student organization has objected to CTEVT granting affiliation to 43 private colleges on December 5.

Chandra Kishore wrote an article in the Kantipur about public education in Madhesh. He recalled that they used to be advanced with the support and facilitation of the community, are now in shambles and noted the involvement of the community weak. Madhesh province has fallen behind in the human development index, consequently, the article stated. Conclusion of this article is that as long as public education remains weak, inequality will intensify in Madhesh.

Shriram Neupane wrote in his article in Gorkhapatra that the basis for evaluating whether the teacher has done justice to the profession is reflected on students, parents and results.

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 including the environment. It is aimed at the policy makers and stakeholders to help make informed decisions. In this joint effort of the Center for Education Policies and Practices (CEPP) and EduKhabar, material from daily newspapers - Kantipur, Gorkhapatra and The Himalayan Times, online news portals - Online Khabar, Setopati and Ratopati is summarized and presented with commentary on relevant issues. Keeping potential conflicts of interests in mind, material related to the Center and EduKhabar are not included in the analysis.
We have covered the contents from 7- 13 December 2024 in this issue - The Editor.

Read it in Nepali : विवादित विषयमा संसदीय समिति

Read last week's content : Last week in education