Kathmandu- There was news that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) is going to make some changes in the Guidelines for Running Higher Education Program affiliated to foreign educational institutions. In the Guidelines, the provisions that 'the university which gives affiliation to the program should be listed under 1000 World University Ranking or the program to be conducted should be listed within one thousand ranking of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)' is going to be changed to 'both the university and the program should be within 1000 ranking', the news mentioned. MoEST is going to revise the Guidelines according to the suggestions given by the Taskforce chaired by Binil Aryal professor of Tribhuwan University (TU), the news published in the Ratopati news portal. There should be a QAA for the subjects to be studied in Nepal, scholarships should be transparent, student admissions should be done only twice a year and quotas should be set for student admissions based on physical infrastructure are the other recommendations of the Taskforce published by the Ministry, the news quoted.

Minister Bidya Bhattarai had formed another Taskforce ignoring the suggestion of the Taskforce formed by former Minister Sumana Shrestha for the same task. But it was mentioned in the news that both the Taskforces have given the same suggestions. Out of 59 colleges affiliated with foreign universities with the permission of the MoEST, 48 colleges are not under 1000 ranks in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking, the news published.

The Rashtra Bank's (RB) statistics of two months in this financial year on foreign currency outflow was 28.25 billion rupees (US$ 209 million) for studying abroad also made news this week.. (Look at the similar news in the media two weeks ago and our comment on 24th October) According to the data by the RB for two months in this financial year, foreign students who came to study in Nepal have spent about 447.3 million rupees (US$ 3.3 million), mentioned in the news. 

In the last five years (2075-2080) in TU, out of 28 lakh 33 thousand students enrolled, 3 lakh 72 thousand were initiated in convocation, Ratopati Online has presented the data. Showing statistics that only 13 percent of enrolled students were initiated to convocation, the portal reported that only 60 thousand to 70 thousand students passed every year when 500 thousand students are enrolled.

Establishment of the Nepal University has been officially announced, the news also published.

There was news that the selection and recommendation committee has called for applications to recommend names for the vacant post of Vice-Chancellor for the Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur.

Student Union affiliated to CPN (UML) submitted a memorandum to Director General of Curriculum Development Center (CDC), Ima Narayan Shrestha, to draw center's attention to the errors in school textbooks, the news published.

Parshuram Municipality of Dadeldhura has decided to give interest-free educational loans up to Rs 5 lakh (USD 3,700) to students who want to study for a variety of technical and vocational education at different levels. The Municipality has launched an educational loan program for students who want to study technical and vocational education including Health Assistants, Overseers, Nursing, Engineering, Pilots, MBBS, Agriculture, Information Technology at higher level than SEE, Setopati news portal published the news.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has instructed the hostels operating within the Metropolis to be registered in the Education Department of the Metropolis. In the past, to operate hostels, they used to get approval from the district education office and register at the ward office, mentioned the news.

There was news that a student who failed the SEE due to the negligence of the invigilator has been declared passed by the National Examination Board. The student's relatives filed a complaint against inspector with the board alleging that the answer book of Shivkumar Rai, student of Tharpuda Secondary School of Kopilasgadhi Rural Municipality (RM), Khotang that he had deliberately failed the student.

There was news that since 1999, students who participated in class 11th and 12th exams and failed, got D and E grades or were absent in the exam, will be allowed to take the Chance Exam. It was mentioned in the news that the Chance Exam will be conducted in the April 2025.

It is not obvious why the MoEST took such a decision. It appears that this is to address the shortage of students in colleges and universities. Government taking such a bold decision in the interest of the students would have to be a welcome move.  Some suspect that such a decision may have been made under the pressure of private college investors. Dramatic decline in the number of students in higher educational intuitions including in for-profit private colleges, investors were becoming weary. Clear explanation would abolish unnecessary speculations. Of course, a question remains: why were those students deprived from going to higher education by failing at that time? If that decision was wrong, who will take responsibility for it? It seems that the government has tried to find a solution without addressing the main cause for the lack of students in higher education. Another concern is that students who have abandoned their studies cannot resume and pick up their studies to take advantage of such a ‘windfall opportunity’! They can only benefit from it if the decision is kept for at least another year. It will take some convincing, coaxing from friends and families and perhaps from the teachers. 

It is wished that the government makes decisions on the spur of the moment and works hard to control the damage made by the decision later. At any case, move such as accrediting work done at home by the students (news below) and opportunity to resume studies gives sense that government has started contemplating about education beyond age-old memory-based exam-is-all mind sent. 

Relevant work students do at home to be accounted in internal evaluation of school level students, the news published. The CDC is going to include the household work done by the students in the internal evaluation system with the aim of motivating students to connect learning with skills and respect labor, mentioned the news. Cleaning, kitchen work and farm work are going to be connected with this evaluation system, the news quoted.

The decision to accredit students' household work in the assessment is a welcome move. Although overheard few had been advocating for it for years especially in Covid-19 period. This decision should help to rectify some of the many weaknesses in Nepal's education system. It had been well criticized from many sides that school has alienated students from the reality of life keeping away from labor, work and daily and traditional life skills. It has been well observed that they develop a tendency to take manual work inferiorly particularly even looking upon down to their parents. In order to improve the situation, educationists have been suggesting ways to involve students in household and agricultural work. 

With this decision of the Ministry, it can be expected that the students will not shy to do manual work, respect labor, and help their parents in household work and they will get educated without losing the skills their parents have.

It was reported that 13 temporary learning centers (TLCs) will have to be built in Kavre and one in Sindhupalchowk to conduct classes regularly after the floods and landslides that occurred in the September 27th and 28th  damaging  schools affecting teaching and learning.

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 and Himalaya TV and Nepal Television is summarized and presented with commentary on relevant issues. We have covered the contents from 2-8 November 2024 in this issue - The Editor.

Read it in Nepali : निर्देशिका हेरफेरको तयारी !

Read last week's content : Last week in education