KATHMANDU - In recent years, the amount of foreign exchange outflow with students going abroad for higher education has been continuously increasing, according to Nepal Rashtra Bank (the Central Bank of Nepal), the news published. According to the news, foreign exchange equivalent to nearly 15 billion rupees (over 110 million US$) was exchanged by students for higher studies abroad in the first month of this fiscal year.

Compared to the same period of the last fiscal year (2023-024), the outflow has increased by about 40 percent, the news quoted the data published by the Bank. In recent years, there is a growing trend of going abroad for higher education as there is employment opportunity and good income along with studies, the news mentioned. According to the news, 125 billion rupees (over 930 million US$) were taken abroad from the country for studies in the last fiscal year alone. This is 24 percent (100 billion rupees - around 743 million US$) more than that of fiscal year 2022-023. The figure was almost 68 billion rupees (around 503 million US$) in 2021-022, the news quoted the data from the Bank.

If we consider the amount exchanged for studies abroad as the import of that service (i.e. higher education) in the year 2079-80, this amount is almost 6 percent of the total import f the country, which is equal to that year's petrol import. If we take this financial year, out of the total imports, 9 percent accounts for diesel and 4.5 half percent for LP gas imports. It may sound ironic it is more difficult to reduce the import of educational service than to reduce the import of fuel in the country!

Not only money goes out, the students who went to study abroad also send remittances from jobs. The remittance from those who went to study have been overlooked in the rumor of money going out. People do not bring up the fact that many go on self-financing, pay back the loans and continue sending money home depending their family situation. 
 
Nepal Rashtra Bank publishes statistics about how much money has been taken out from the country for studies abroad  regularly but not how much if the remittance is received back from them (or it is not brought to public attention?).

One minor academic reason behind choosing abroad for studies is the quality of Tribhuvan University, irregularity of academic session (a situation where the 4-year under graduate program cannot be completed even in 6 years) and declining reputation of the university. If the quality of university can be made competitive at the international level, a small portion of students may stay here. But the political and administrative leadership is not paying attention to this. The media is also running after rumors rather than looking for reasons.

A study conducted by Nepal Rashtra Bank has pointed out the reasons for the increasing exodus abroad is for political instability, the lack of economic development, and the lack of new job opportunities. The number of people who go abroad specifically for the lack of quality of education in the country is not that large. That interest is not just academic. There are other compelling interests other than the quality of education. Employment opportunity is already discussed above. Now interwoven with economic interests, going abroad to study has become an issue of prestige, especially for the middle class families, just as going to labor migration is becoming a norm for lower middle class. 

Another thing: this scenario is not created by the failure of a country such as Nepal or the lack of employment or the quality of education. It is also the result of economic inequality among nations specifically between colonizing and colonized countries that are now roughly clustered as developed and developing countries. In the world economic system standing as it is, aging population of those countries is an important pulling factor. This process is to continue until the developing countries are able to maintain economy independently. In the current situation, another irony is that is easier to get foreign students in Nepal than to stop students going abroad in the name of higher studies from the country.

There was news that 39 local levels across the country have not given salaries and festive allowances to teachers. Despite the announcement of the government to provide salary every month to the teachers,  municipalities have not provided the salary and allowance to the teachers since mid of July this year. The news published quoting the Nepal National Teachers Association, 39 municipalities in 12 districts have not even provided the salaries sent by the federal government.

Although the case filed in the Supreme Court against the Teacher Transfer Guidelines is under consideration, the news published that teachers are being transfer is continued based on the same guidelines. After the then Minister of MoEST, Sumana Shrestha, approved the guidelines for teacher transfers on 13th June 2081, the Federation of School Management Committees, Parents' Associations, and Teachers' Associations filed a case against the guidelines in the Supreme Court, the news mentioned.

Clause wise discussion of long stalled Federal School Education Bill is to start after Tihar (end of November) in the Parliament's Education, Health and Information Technology Committee. Some weeks ago, the discussion with the Member of Parliament (MP) who has amended the bill had been finished, the news mentioned. 

There was news that the bill related to Nepal University, supposed to be established and operated in Gaindakot Municipality of Nawalparasi, has been approved by President Ram Chandra Poudel. The Bill related to the Nepal University has provision of the  Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, who would be an academic person, different than other universities of Nepal, mentioned in the news. In other the universities, the Prime Minister become Chancellor.

There was news that the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) has approved the necessary additional teacher for teaching post-graduate doctors and nurses in medical and nursing colleges under the Academy. The 31st Meeting of the Senate of the Academy has also decided to take the initiative to add student seats in post-graduate levels in the government medical colleges to reduce the shortage of skilled doctors, mentioned in the news.

The time for filling the online form to participate in the 50th convocation ceremony of TU has been extended, from October 9 to October 26, quoted the news.

It was reported that the MoEST has discussed and took suggestion on the draft of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act Amendment Bill. It was mentioned in the news that suggestions have been made on matters such as the formation of the Council, structure according to federal structure of governance, skill testing committee, areas covered by the Act, inter-ministerial coordination and continuity of terms and condition for employees and staff adjustment.

It has been reported that the MoEST has discussed with the Social Development Ministers of all Provinces about the damage caused to the schools due to the floods and landslides. The discussion was attended by the Ministers of the Provinces, the Secretaries of the Ministries, the Chiefs of the flood-affected Local Governments and the Heads of the Education Section of local levels, the news mentioned. The news came citing the ministry that 150 schools in 29 districts have been damaged due to heavy rains since September 27, 24 schools have been completely damaged, 2 hundred 50 thousand students have been affected and 20 students have died.

The MoEST has started discussions with experts to collect suggestions about the National Book Policy 2024. It was mentioned in the news that Education Minister Vidya Bhattarai said that the Ministry is going to introduce a policy with the aim of inculcating the habit of reading books and making the library useful with essential books.

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. Due to Dashain holiday last week, although there was no publication of daily newspaper, news publication is being broadcasted on online media and television. So, we have covered the contents of two weeks from last October 05 to October 18, 2024 are covered -  The Editor.

Read it in Nepali : शैक्षिक आयात बढ्दो

Read last week's content : Last week in education