Kathmandu - This week the media reported on provision of education in budget at provincial and local level. It was reported that the provincial universities where the priority of the provincial government’s budget plan. Multiple cases of corruption and irregularities in the education sector were also reported. Assistant dean of TU was caught with bribe money this week. Exam controller’s office producing certificate with changed mark sheet was also exposed by the media this week. A newsreported increasing conflict between teachers and local level government representatives as the ministry refused to hand over the management of teachers at local level, while the responsibility of school management has been handed to the local level by the constitution.  

- Provincial budget on education was reported to focus on provincial universities. Some provinces have also committed for one technical institute in each municipality. While the universities under the federal government are yet to be categorized, province governments are in race to establish provincial universities. Experts have advised the government to transfer most of the central universities to the province government. Repeating the policy of federal government, province government has also appointed volunteer teachers to fulfill the gap in teacher’s requirement. Federal policy of Model schools in each municipality and district has also been repeated by all provincial governments. Karnali province plants to create multiple technical education centers in each district. Province 2 plans to upgrade 1 public school in each constituency to technical education center. While the federal government is delaying the categorization of universities, experts claim the provincial government has put pressure through the budget allocation for universities. Experts have suggested that alike central government, the province also appear to have made decision about opening universities without sincere assessment of need and availability. Model school program in each district has been adopted in province 2. Province 5 has focused to improve community colleges.

- A news reported that 7 universities to face the problem of staff recruitment due to delay in the process by the government. Out of altogether 11 universities, 7 will find their work positions empty. Officials of Nepal Sanskrit University, Pokhara, Purwanchal, Mid-Western, Far Western, Agriculture and Forestry University will complete their tenure in the next three months including Vice- Chancellor of Tribhuwan University. All the positions in question were previously appointed through political sharing. Government policy requires that the process to requite new staff should start 6 month earlier with the formation of search committee, in leadership of the president of University Grant Commission. No such procedure has been initiated. The High-level National Education Commission formed in coordination with the MoEST has suggested to dismiss the position of Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor, Vice chancellor and appoint a President from among the academicians in the university. Education experts was reported mentioning if the Prime Minister decided to politically appoint lead positions in the university, he should be fully responsible of the consequences. Criteria Determination Task Force (मापदण्ड निर्धारण कार्यदल)had recommended that the President of the nations should be appointed the Chancellor of TU, Sanskrit and Open University.

- Usual incident of student admitted to public school only because of financial inabilities was discussed in an opinion article. The article also restates the absence of children of local communities in the public schools of Kathmandu. The writer raised the importance to question why parents are losing trust in public schools, and what is the public psychology about private and public schools. Mostly, due to competitive social conditioning, and interest in English language, parents teach in private schools claimed the opinion article. The article also stated that at present situation,parents who teach in public schools are the ones who are compelled to do so, due to financial limitations.

- The Supreme Court has stayed the government’s decision to deny no objection certificate to students who intend to study abroad before passing Grade XII examinations. A single bench of Justice SushmalataMathema issued the order in response to a public interest litigation filed by Advocate Ram DuttaOjha. This interim order will remain in effect till June 23 when the apex court, after hearing the arguments from both sides of the case, will decide whether or not the stay order should remain in effect. The bench also issued a show cause notice to the government. The Ministry of Education and Science and Technology had, on June 12, decided to deny NOC for studying abroad to students who have not passed Grade XII exams. The petitioner argued that as per Scholarship Act and Scholarship Regulations, the government had no right to issue notice prohibiting people from seeking NOC for studying abroad without passing Grade XII exams. The petitioner argued that the prohibition was a violation of people’s right to equality and children’s right to education guaranteed by the constitution and Children’s Act. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology had published a notice on June 12, stating that students who have completed Grade XII or equivalent will be given ‘no objection certificates’ to study abroad only if they intend to pursue academic courses of bachelor’s level or above. NOC is also essential to get foreign currency exchange facility. Many Australia-bound Nepali students join technical and vocational institutions. This is common among those pursuing nursing courses. Countries such as Australia, Germany and Switzerland are well known for their technical and vocational education courses. If the ministry’s decision is implemented, many Nepali students who have not passed Grade XII, but want to pursue vocational training in foreign countries won’t be able to do that. The petitioner has named Education and Science and Technology, Foreign Education Bureau of the ministry and under-secretary of the ministry as defendants.

Other news this week include irregularity in BPKoiralaInsitute of Health Science, as more seats where provided for foreign students that for local students. Additional news of physical punishment in schools was reported this week as well.  Badaiyatal rural municipality has been found to appoint teachers by scraping the federal education policy. The education section head has been found to have formed his own policy and had appointed his wife to the teacher’s position after he himself took exam. Some articles and letter discussed about the unscientific grading system and called for reform of the policy that restrict students to attain certain subjects based on results.

'Education this Week' is a joint effort put to analyze the press coverage of education in Nepal’s selected print 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, Himal Weekly(Nepali) and BBC.com(international online portal)between June 19-25, 2019 (Asar4-10, 2076)- Editor.

Read last week’s analysis : More ad- hocism, whimsical decisions

Read this analysis in Nepali : स्थानीय बजेटमा शिक्षा र भ्रष्टाचारका सवाल

All analysis read by this link : Education This week