Because of the boom in banking and other related sectors, majority of Nepali students are shifting their focus towards management courses away from regular educational courses.

According to Nepal UGC, management courses comprise of around 1.5 lakh applications out of the total 3.6 lakh enrolments at the university level in the country.

Master’s in Business Studies and MBA are among the top career preferences at the master’s level, currently.

Although renowned varsities like Tribhuvan University had courses like M.Com since 1960s, MBA degree courses that came later somewhere in around 1993 are gaining more attention.

Kathmandu University introduced MBA degree course in 1993, following which, demand for the course increased pushing many other colleges to introduce in their curriculum.

And, many investors have been keen about offering such courses in affiliation with foreign universities, along with local universities.

While there are around 37 colleges in total offering the MBA degree, 16 stand affiliated to foreign universities in USA, UK, India and Malaysia.

Human Resource, A Serious Concern
College managers argue that the increasing inclination among students towards MBA degree is encouraging, but proper availability of human resource is compulsory to ensure quality education.

According to them, colleges should be granted licenses based on their human resource availability.

“One should be very clear, along with knowledge a MBA student must have problem-solving skill once s/he graduates. I regret to say not all colleges fulfil this standard,” says Tribhuvan University Management Dean Dilli Ram Sharma.

Sharma, based on his inspection, says that many colleges lack full-time faculty making it difficult for after-class consultation. “This does not mean there aren’t excellent colleges here. Many colleges are truly doing well,” adds Sharma.

Another major issue is the enrolment of fresher/inexperienced students for the course and lack of internship programs for students.

Meanwhile, South Asian Institute of Management Principal Ashok Raj Pandey feels that the entire education system in Nepal is currently examination-focused.

While MBA students pursue hundreds of cases during their course in universities like Harvard, MBA students in Nepal complete their course without studying at least some dozen courses, resulting in degree lacking required skill-set.

Lack of Academia-Industry Collaboration
This is another serious problem in Nepali education structure.

College managements report that the academia has failed to establish proper linking with the country’s leading industry bodies such as Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepali Industries (CNI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), among others.

“The production of graduates should be based on the need of the market, but we have failed to internalize this crucial fact,” admits Pankaj Jalan, Chairman of Lord Buddha Education Foundation.

So, the government has to approve academic institutions based on their human resource requirements.

Following recommendations from various institutions, the Ministry of Education has already formed a panel in coordination with the National Planning Commission (NPC) to fill human resource gaps in various sectors, Jalan informed.

The panel is currently studying various aspects of the matter and is expected to come up with the number of human resource requirements that the country needs in different fields over the next 25 years.

Factors to be analyzed part of the study include current situation of human resources, number of graduates in different sectors and employment prospects, among others.

Hope the study will fill the gaps in the country’s education sector and pave ways for quality education and sufficient opportunities.

The post Management Courses on Demand in Nepal, Human Resources Lacking appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Yes, you read right!

The film was a big hit with NPR 190 million in collections. It has grown in popularity majorly for its critique portrayal of Nepali education sector and could successfully grab the attention of around 1.2 million audience.

Considering its significance to the topic, the film was screened at the educational conference that saw educationists and teachers from the entire South Asian region.

The screening began with an introductory brief by Chhakka Panja 3 Director Deepa Shree Niraula, who felt the film was successful for its social critique on Nepal’s education system in a fun way.

Nepali Educationist Dhananjaya Acharya Nepal lauded the film saying, it “portrays a realistic picture of Nepal’s education system,” and appreciated it for raising key issues of Nepali education sector that even Nepali media missed out over time.

“Ground reality of the education system, not just of Nepal but of India as well, and in fact, the situation is same in all of South Asia. It’s an excellent film and also a useful one. It’s bound to take a good market,” said Indian educationist Sharad Chandra Behar.

Behar went a step ahead and called on the Chhakka Panja 3 team to dub that in Hindi and bring it to Indian cinema as well.

“Dharam karam bhi ho gaya, aur daam bhi aagaya” (meaning we addressed a social problem and we also made money), said Deepak Raj Giri, actor and one of the producers of Chhakka Panja 3. This dialogue part of the film created huge laughter among the audience!

The event also saw from serious critiques for the movie, where some of the audience termed it not serious and dramatic in presenting the solution to the problems raised.

“While the film shows a drastic improvement in the education standards of the school [around which the film revolves], it doesn’t show how it achieved the feat,” adds Behar.

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The post ‘Nepali Chhakka Panja 3 Highlights Gaps in South Asia Education’ appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Nepal Minister for Education, Science & Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel confirmed this in an event held on the occasion of Dashain festival held at Bardibas on October 16, 2018.

Addressing the gathering, Pokharel said the government will make it compulsory to incorporate technical subjects in the secondary-level school education curriculum starting from the next academic year.

Besides technical education, new subjects such as yoga, ayurveda, agriculture, forestry, and veterinary science would be part of the secondary level education, added the Minister.

It is noteworthy that incorporation of technical education is also part of the Nepal Government’s 25-year Long Term Vision to make the country a developed nation.

Nepal school education system is undergoing various phases of transformation since the recent past.

While the government is supporting them with new policy measures, Nepal’s foreign partners (Japan, Australia, US, Europe, etc.) have also been extending their fund and infrastructure support to Nepali education sector..

Related Education Article:

• Education Loan In Nepal

The post Nepal for Technical Courses in Secondary School Education appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

The recommendation directs the government to not add any more schools in the country. Furthermore, it demands that the government enhance existing institutions to provision free and mandatory education in accordance with the constitution.

Citing the aforementioned reasons, NCE Network Chair Kumar Bhattarai handed over a draft to the High-level National Education Commission Chair and Nepal Minister for Education, Science & Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel.

Additionally, it also requested the government to come-up with a policy that aims at gradually diminishing private investment in school education.

The National Campaign for Education (NCE) is a network of civil society organizations dedicated to enabling right to education and child rights.

Nepal Government to Preserve Old Schools
In another scenario, Nepal Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwor Pokharel has assured that the Nepal Government will protect old schools.

On the occasion of Shivapuri Secondary School’s 70^th Anniversary in Mahargunj, DPM Pokharel said that the old schools are historical heritages because of which they will be protected.

Following are the Government plans discussed by Pokharel at the event:

• Being actively involved in the betterment of the education sector, the government seeks to address the respective sector’s concerns by increasing investments in community schools
• Centralizing focus on production of capable human resources to build a strong national economy

Pokharel also adds that education is significant to Nepal Government’s campaign ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis’ for the country’s economic development.

Hope that these initiatives manage to tap the right resources and maintain Nepal’s heritage while trying to impart quality education to Nepalis.

Related Education Article:

• Study Loan In Nepal

The post Nepal Education: Pitch for Protection of Old Schools, Object to Upcoming appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In a recent update, Japan agreed to extend a grant worth Rs 308 million to Nepal’s seven-year SSDP under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Officials on behalf of the Governments of Nepal and Japan exchanged MoUs in this regard as part of a meeting at the Ministry of Finance in Kathmandu on October 05, 2018.

SSDP, a continuation to the Nepali Ministry of Education’s School Sector Reform Program (SSRP), aims to enhance the equitable access, quality and efficiency of basic & secondary education in Nepal.

Teaching & learning methodology, student training, more effective education system, sectoral planning & management and governance are among keys of focus for the program.

The program will be implemented in a more harmonized and coordinated approach through a joint financing agreement under a sector-wise approach involving other development partners.

This is a seven-year program started in FY 2016-17.

Also Read: 

• EU Special Program Boosts Nepal Education Sector
• Nepal Education Loan Online

The post Japan Pledges Rs 308 Mn Aid to Nepal Education Sector appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In his address at Tribhuvan University’s 59^th Annual Day, Kirtipur Oli said, “Universities have been granting affiliation to colleges without any research and study, thereby contributing to the increase in the number of educated unemployed people in the country.”

The government is conducting a study on HR requirement and is formulating a new education policy to bridge the gap between educated people of appropriate age and the right employment opportunities for them, Oli adds.

Long-awaited Bill in the Offing
Nepal is also awaiting its most-sought Medical Education Bill that is expected to bring in reforms in the country’s medical education and healthcare sector.

The Nepali Ministry of Education, Health and Technology presented the Bill to the House of Representatives (HOR) on July 12, 2018 amidst strong criticism and is awaiting further approval procedures.

However, the proposed Bill clashes with Dr. KC Govind’s Health Education Act that demands the right to accountable governance and the call for social justice in provisioning quality public education and healthcare.

The Act also suggests a 10-year moratorium be laid on new schools in the Kathmandu Valley and a mandatory provision that such schools should have a hospital functioning for at least three years.

Nepal Education, Health and Technology Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel argues that it is not possible to execute all the recommendations of the Mathema-recommended Act but assures that a high-level commission will decide about affiliations and management of medical schools as recommended by the Health Education Act.

Youth Demands
In a recent development, the youth connected with various student bodies has demanded  nationalization or conversion of Nepal private medical colleges to non-profit Trusts.

The meeting persuaded the government to begin process of establishment for at least one medical college in every province of Nepal, informed the All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (ANNISU Revolutionary) Vice-Chairperson Surendra Basnet.

All the student organizations demanded the formation of a high-level medical education commission to address the issues faced by the country’s medical education sector.

The meeting saw the participation of Young Communist League (YCL), Youth Association of Nepal, All Nepal National Free Students Union and All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary).

Hope the new demands and policies in the offing would meet the right educational requirements of the country’s young populace!

The post Nepal PM Oli declares Plans for New Education Policy appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

The scholarship program worth AUD 50,000 aims at assisting students in getting access to quality overseas education in English-speaking nations from Australia and countries such as UK, Ireland, USA, Canada and New Zealand.

“To create more opportunities for students from Nepal, IDP will be offering international education scholarship to ten ambitious Nepali students. The selection will be merit-based to deserving candidates to help them connect to lifelong career success through an international education degree,” says Andrew Barkla IDP Education CEO.

Additional IDP Educational Plans
Speaking further, Barkla says that IDP also want to co-operate with Nepali NGOs to provide easy education access to the country’s underprivileged youth.

During the IDP media briefing, Piyush Kumar Regional Director IDP South Asia said, “We are delighted with our plan to launch IDP’s first student placement services office in Hattisar, Kathmandu.”

He went on to say that adding highly-trained and experienced counsellors will help students make better education choices with more clarity.

A statement issued by the leading education services provider also revealed its plans of opening an office in Kathmandu by August 1, 2018 to assist Nepali students achieve their international education goals.

About IDP
IDP was incepted in 1969 with the name Australian Asian Universities’ Cooperation Scheme (AAUCS) with universities in South-East Asia. It was later renamed as the International Development Program (IDP) of Australian universities, colleges and schools.

On a hopeful note!
We hope that the interests of similar leading education bodies bring out the best from Nepal’s learning masses and also present opportunities to underprivileged youth who have limited opportunities of pursuing an education abroad.

Related Education Article:

• Nepal Education Loan Details

The post Australia’s New Program to Support Nepalis in Overseas Education appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

This amount is the first installment of EU education sector’s budgetary support of EUR 56,500,000 (over NPR 7 billion) as part of its contribution to Nepal’s education sector.

“Nepal’s school sector is right now adjusting to the realities of the new federal state structure and the European Union is a committed partner of Nepal in this endeavor. This is an opportunity to accelerate reforms benefiting all girls and boys equitably to allow them a better preparation for a productive life after school,” says EU Ambassador to Nepal Veronica Cody.

EU as Nepal’s education partner has been supporting this cause for nearly two decades by directly participating in Nepal’s plans and administrative systems.

The EU mission started out as support for basic education in Nepal went on to become a strong partnership catering to secondary education, technical & vocational training and also higher education through the Erasmus program.

Progress of SSDP
Following are the growth statistics recorded in Nepal’s Education Sector through SSDP:

• The Net Enrollment Rate (NER) increased from 89.4 percent to 92.3 percent between 2015-18
• The number of students repeating classes for Grade-8 reduced leading to an increased survival rate from 75.9 percent to 77.4 percent
• The number of new entrants in Grade 1 with preschool experience increased from 64.7 percent to 66.3 percent between 2016-18

This progress of Nepal’s education sector is important as it comes at a time when the country is shifting towards federal governance and bringing about developments in the education sector is essential to Nepal Government for creating steady development and mutual prosperity.

About the SSDP Program
SSDP creates its programs on the basis of previous success stories like the School Sector Reform Plan (SSRP) and its achievements from the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Its key objective is to convert gains in access to sound learning outcomes and improve the safety of school buildings in earthquake prone Nepal. It brings together all the key persons in the education sector including the government, teachers and parents among others to bring about coordination and impact in the sector.

The post EU Special Program Boosts Nepal Education Sector appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

“Based on USAID’s Education Strategy and local assessments that found extremely low reading scores despite high primary school enrollment, USAID shifted to a leading role in advocating for early grade reading to be on the national education reform agenda,” informed USAID’s official release on August 08, 2017.

As part of its plan, USAID directly channels assistance through host country systems to support the implementation and scale up Nepal’s Early Grade Reading Assessment (NEGRA).

USAID’s education strategy and local assessments pointed at specific areas of need to improve early grade reading. The agency found extremely low reading scores despite high primary school enrollment in Nepal and hence, pitched for inclusion of early grade reading on Nepal’s education reform agenda.

Citing its assessment on NEGRA, the agency said that the majority of Nepali students read far below international standards and 55 percent of Grade II children, whose mother tongue was not Nepali scored zero, on reading assessments.

Teachers Lack Proper Training

According to USAID, even the teaching staff have only a minimal command on evidence-based instructional techniques for teaching to the students at early grade reading level.

Under its objective, the agency intends to introduce evidence-based EGR instructional materials & train teachers of Grades I-III on the use of provided materials, improve classroom-based EGR assessment processes in target districts, institutionalize policies, standards that support improved EGR instruction and outcomes and strengthen capability of parent-teacher associations & school management committees to contribute to improved early grade reading outcomes.

It is noteworthy there is already a School Sector Development Plan (SSDP) 2016-2023 that serves as the Government of Nepal’s education sector strategy and supports Nepal’s vision to graduate from the status of a least developed country by 2030.

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