Kathmandu - A group of six students, including elected Tribhuvan University (TU) Free Student Union (FSU) members Mr Narendra Saud and Mr Sikendra Rokaya, vandalized the office of the Rector of TU and Dean of the Institute of Science and Technology, according to Kantipur Daily. Narendra Saud and Sikendra Rokaya are related to Nepali Congress affiliated student organization Nepal Student Union (NSU), the news mentioned. Chairs, tables, table cover mirrors, drawers, and sofas in the office were damaged due to vandalism; the news quoted the Rector and Dean's Office.

Quoting the police, Onlinekhabar news portal reported on this news that they had put a pressure to postpone the second semester exams of the postgraduate science faculty scheduled for March 16, 20, and 24. After the Dean's Office refused to postpone the exam because it would affect the calendar, they resorted to vandalism, the news mentioned.

Vandalism occurred also at Bhairahawa Multiple Campus in Rupandehi because of a dispute between students' organizations regarding the FSU elections, there was the news.

Hooliganism in the name of student organizations ending in vandalism and violence is on the rise in Nepal. It is known  that political parties have been protecting  favorites in the name of student organizations. It's not just the parties apply partisanship in the appointments of university officials; the vandalism at educational institutions is also a proxy war among political parties. It has devastated educational institutions in the country. Such activities to a large  extent, are, one of the reasons why students are being 'pushed' abroad to study. It is the meaningless for political parties'  to tout about educational reforms and lament that youth are fleeing out of the country while they are protecting the thugs of their sister organizations.

There was report that 25 student organizations will participate in the FSU elections this time.  19 number of student organizations had participated in the elections held in March 2023, the news quoted. There was news that TU has also issued a Code of Conduct for student organizations for this election.

There was news that the Central Campus of TU has made the voter list public for the upcoming FSU election to be held on March 18. There are 5,965 voters from 33 central departments, 4 faculties and 8 special study centres, according to the coordinator of the FSU Election Committee, Prof. Dr. Krishna Prasad Neupane, the news mentioned. Similarly, a Letter to the Editor published in the Kantipur from Tanka Prasad Gaire of Syangja, Waling questioned the rationality of the FSU elections.

There was news that the exams at the Paklihawa Campus of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences are uncertain due to the protests of professors and students. The professors stopped to work demanding that veterinary studies be recognized like agriculture is and they also should be appointed to university positions and special committees. The news mentioned that students have locked down the campus demanding that exams must be conducted.

There was news that the time given by Chancellor and Prime Minister Mr. KP Oli to the selection committee to recommend a name for the post of Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Kathmandu University (KU) has expired. The selection committee has failed to recommend names despite Prime Minister Oli's instruction to the committee members to recommend names within a specified time, quoted the news. The committee had failed to recommend a concensus candidate earlier (ed.). 

The Assembly of Madhesh Agricultural University has dismissed VC Dr. Baijnath Mahato and Registrar Mr. Bhagwan Thakur, there was the news. Based on the report submitted on  September 23 by a three-member committee formed under the leadership of Dr. Sohan Prasad Sah, Vice-Chairman of the Policy and Planning Commission, the university assembly decided to dismiss both of them as they were found to be involved in 'unauthorized activities' against the university, the news mentioned.

There was report that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor Mr. KP Oli, initiated 3,841 students at the third convocation ceremony of Mid-West University.

The Bagmati Province University, started by the Bagmati Province Government, is preparing to start courses of vocational and technical subjects from  upcoming academic session, there was the news.

There was another report that TU is preparing to reverse its decision to provide pensions counting unpaid leave days as service period. News was published last week that professors and employees who had been on leave before 21 April 2011 were receiving pensions by counting unpaid leave as service days, contrary to the rule that unpaid leave cannot be regarded as  service period, mentioned the report.

The Rector of TU Prof. Dr. Khadak KC appointed Associate Professor Dr. Bijay Bahadur Thapa, who is ranked second at Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara, as Assistant Campus Chief, there was the news.

Teeka Bhattarai wrote an article in the Kantipur titled "The Way to Improve the Examination System". The article points out that while the curriculum is not bad as such, some changes are needed. However,  it is not the main reason that has dilapidated education in the country. The article mentions that an important aspect of the current curriculum change proposition is that it seeks to accredit household work in students' assessments. 

In the Gorkhapatra, Hari KC wrote that in order to prevent student exodus to foreign universities, Nepali universities should be research-focused, should be places that produce knowledge, and an environment should be created that makes studying in Nepal attractive

Prof. Dr. Shanti Krishna Adhikari has written an article titled 'Student–Drought' in  Universities. Similarly, Tirtha Bhattarai, wrote an article in the Gorkhapatra titled Concern for the Future of Students. The article states that if students who have not completed their studies abroad and came back, they should be given an opportunity to complete their studies in the same programs at Nepali universities without affecting equivalence.
A report published in the Kantipur that the tension arising from the death of a Nepali student in the hostel of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India, is easing.

There was report that the KU Dean's Office has formed an independent investigation committee into the incident related to a suicide attempt of a resident doctor at Dhulikhel Hospital. The committee has decided to submit a report to the VC within 5 days and not allow any suspended doctors to perform regular duties, the report mentioned. Nepal Medical Council suspends 4 doctors for 7 days and is investigating, there was the news.

A complaint has been filed in the judicial committee of the Kapurkot Rural Municipality (RM) alleging that the Head Teacher of Kalika Secondary School (SS) of the RM, Salyan sent sexually explicit messages to a female student. The Head Teacher resigned after being accused of sending such vulgar messages to a female student, mentioned the news.

It has been announced that 522,000 students will participate in the School Education Examination (SEE) to be held at the end of grade 10, starting from March 20. The news mentioned that 468,000 students have filled out forms as regular and 50,000 for grade increment. Similarly, 2,131 centers have been designated for the exam, the news quoted.

The Kantipur reported that due to a shortage of subject teachers and the inability of schools to complete courses on time, students in grades 10, 11, and 12 from the mountainous and hilly districts of Karnali Province are forced to come to Birendranagar (Surkhet) every year for tuition.

The Gorkhapatra reported that the government will spend about one billion rupees (USD 7.17 million) on scholarships for students from the Dalit community in the fiscal year 2081/82.

There was news that Bharatpur Sub-metropolis has launched a health screening campaign for students in public schools of the municipality. The news mentioned that this will benefit 42,000 students.

There was report that the school building in Hathratol, Kshireshwar Nath Municipality, Dhanusha, has not been completed even after two years of construction, forcing students to move to another school - three kilometers away.

Rapti RM is providing training in playing musical instruments to teachers to help make teaching easier, there was the news. The news reported that the training with dancing and singing will help for teaching child development classes, quoting the teacher.

It has been found that some public schools in Kathmandu Metropolis are collecting salaries and allowances in the name of retired teachers. A total of 5 million rupees (USD 0.358) was returned from teachers who had taken  salary and allowances illegally, the news mentioned.

There was report that after student organizations affiliated to CPN UML of Ramechhap conducted vocational skills training, students from some schools have started earning money from creative skills.

Students studying at Acme College of Engineering in Bagdol, Lalitpur, have been transferred elsewhere after classes were suspended, there was the news.

The Himalaya TV has broadcast news that Prime Minister Mr. KP Oli is openly supporting private schools. The news mentioned that even though many lawmakers have proposed an amendment to the School Education Bill currently under discussion in the Parliament to convert for-profit private schools into non-profit Trusts, Prime Minister Oli has stated that they cannot be converted into trusts at the expenses of the investment of private schools.

Following Mr. Deepak Sharma, Director General of the Education and Human Resource Development Center,  was retired, the ministry has replaced him with Mr Krishna Prasad Kapri, a Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Education Science and Technology.

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 to the policy makers and stakeholders to help make informed decisions. In this joint effort of the Center for Educational 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 the 8 o'clock news of Nepal Television and 7 o'clock news of Himalaya Television is summarized and presented with commentary on relevant issues. We have covered the contents from 1-7 March 2025 in this issue - The Editor.

Read last two week's analysis in Nepali : विरोधका नाममा तोडफोड ? [समीक्षात्मक भिडियो सहित]

Read last week's content : Last week in education