Kathmandu - This week Education Ministry submitted a proposal to restructure university governance mechanism. The Ministry also announced the curriculum for Yoga classes as optional subject in classes from 9 to 12. There were multiple news reports of halt in classes in colleges around Nepal due to conflict between administration and the students union.

-    A report this week stated that the government was preparing to categorize the existing 11 universities into 5 provincial  universities and 5 Federal universities. The proposal by education minister stated that Tribhuwan, Nepal Sanskrit, Lumbini Bauddha, Agriculture and Forest and Nepal Open University to remain as Federal Universities while Purwanchal, Pokhara, Mid-Western, Far-Wester and Rajarsi Janak Universities to be Provincial Univerisites. The document states that Kathmandu University will function as per the constitution. The document also suggests that the central universities will not be permitted to give affiliation to other colleges. The document also suggest to end the Chancellor culture and form higher education council. It suggests canceling the University Grant Commission and University Acts of 11 Universities and forming a constitution for regulation of Universities. It suggest to form a single.

-    Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has prepared a curriculum of Yoga in as optional subject from class 9 to 12. Curriculum Development Center informed that Yoga will also be integrated into other subject materials in early classes. In technical education, class 9 -12 will have separate subjects for Yoga, Naturopathy, and Ayurveda.

-    Classes are in halt for over a month due to student’s protest in Agriculture and Forestry University.  The students had protested stating that the admission procedure where against the Merit quota system of the university. Students also blamed that the students with low grades were given scholarship while students with higher grades where forces to be admitted in private colleges.

-    A derogative news report about a young girl’s daily routine as a shepherd, at a school going age also made it in the news with a picture of the girl with a stick. The girls and her parents were blamed in the news for spoiling her future and for engaging the economic and family affair at early age. The further distance from school was also reported as one of the cause.

The fact that school and education has become an alternative to supporting family never gets mentioned in the media as an issue. Policies and approaches to ensure some form of education to children unable to go to school regularly do not make it in the media. The impact of such reporting and exchange in personals perspective of herself and her parents aren’t considered in the discourse, as derogation has been regarded as a strategy to force people to education and to keep them in schools, despite the students and parents way realize half way that the education may not make any relevance to the ways of life in the rural setup. This could result in urban and international migration after completion of schools from many young youths from rural area.

-    Uncertainty loomed in the LLB course of law campus under Tribhuwan University. University, Dean’s office and Campus Administration are in favor of limited quota system in admission while students stand against it, causing the uncertainty. The court has directed the collage to maintain limited quota system to ensure quality. Student stated that the limitation in quota dispute the sufficient infrastructure was an attempt to establish private education institutions for law studies in the future. The college has records of more than 3000 students passing out each year in the past the report stated.

-    An opinion article this week stated the simpler methods to learn science in schools. The article stated that at present most teachers are focused on finishing the course then to ensure that the students are catch-up with the complex concepts of science in their classrooms. This practice has made science a complex subject for many students. It doesn’t encourage teachers to do research nor does it raise curiosity among students on the subject matter.

-    Kathmandu Metropolitian city announced this week that it will fix a common color code for public schools. The Metropolitican city office committed to make groups of public schools dust free, plant fruits in the schools, ensure that the toilets are gender and disability friendly, ensure clean drinking water in all schools. The report also stated that though six months have passed of this fiscal year, actions haven’t taken place accordingly.

There were news reports of reconstruction of schools buildings, stating the lack of funds in some districts and completion in some regions affected by the earthquake. A news report was dedicated to schools in the valley that ensure school education along with skill trainings to students with different disabilities.

'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 and Himal Weekly(Nepali) between Jan 15-21, 2020 (Magh 1-7, 2076) - Editor.

Read this analysis in Nepali : शिक्षाको संरचनात्मक रुपान्तरण गर्ने प्रस्ताव

Read last week’s analysis : Exemplary Innovation at local level and public outrage against policies from central government

All analysis read by this link : Education This week