Sunday, February 27, 2011

    Students In Politics: Right Or Wrong?

    Students getting involved in politics has been a debatable issue. People do not agree on whether students should actively participate in politics or not. Both who believe they should and those who say they should not argue strongly about the merits of their cases.

    Those who support students’ participation in politics say that education means all-round development. It does not only mean literacy. Participation in politics leads to a harmonious development of personality. It makes students aware of what is happening in the country and the wider world. It also develops qualities of leadership in him/her and they don’t remain timid, shy and bookish. Students now become alert. They grow into confident and attentive young man who clearly knows how to tackle with difficulties. Participation in politics thus trains the student to be a good citizen in democratic way of life. At very early stage of life they come to know how to be a responsible and cultured citizen of a country. And thus they become future assets of country.

    And those who oppose their proposition also have strong case. They argue that politics is a dirty game. This can be regarded true because it only creates group and parties among the student which leads to permanent enmities among them. It naturally disturbs the peace of mind of students and thus their studies suffer which is their prime area of attention at that stage. Students’ times are regarded very valuable and they required to pursue prime duty of their study. After once they involve in Politics, they become busy in strikes, demonstration and procession. At the times there are clashes with the college authorities or police. This way situation takes an ugly turn. This is the reason why many students stay neutral and put themselves behind bar completely. Students in politics uselessly spoil their career.

    Although it has been issue to decide whether it is right or wrong for student to get involved in politics, there have been great problem due to adverse effect of politics in educational field, in contrary of Nepal. Our country has been facing a lot of problem in this case. In my view, students should take part in politics, but not very actively. It is better to take the middle path. All their activities should go within some limits so that prime concern i.e. studies is not affected. Needless to say, educational institution in our country are destructively politicized, and even schools operating in remote areas face interference of political groups. The educational institute has been degenerated to political battleground. The gang fight and violent brawls occurring in college indicate that political parties tend to use these forums to fulfill their political ends. So as to decrease these students’ political issues, parties should recognize this fact and seek ways to depoliticize it to some extent.

    Prerana Shrestha
     BE Third Semester
     Himalaya College Of Engineering, Baneshwor


    History Of Nepali Language And Its Importance

    Dirgha Raj Prasai: Since the creation of greater Nepal, the Nepali language has been popular as an easy means of communication between all language speakers of the nation. Many years before the creation of greater Nepal, the Nepali language had been in use from Bhramhaputra in the east and Kashmir in the west. The linguists have taken the stone inscription of Adityabanshi king Damupal, dating back to 1038 BS, as the official source of Nepali language. A copperplate inscription dating back to 1280 BS is the historical evidence of Krachalya King’s victory over Kedar-land Gadawal to create Sija’s Rigime. After studying the gold inscription of Prithvi Malla of 1413 B.S, we can surmise that the Nepali language came into existence in Gorkha and Gadawal since then.

    Linguist Balkrishna Pokharel has written that the Nepali language used in Kirat era until 1382 BS is indicated by Simrangaud king Harisingh Dev’s Pandit Jyotirishwor’s Maithiti book ‘Barnaratnakar.’ Similarly, Bhanubhakta Pokharel writes, "Five-seven hundred years prior to the unification of Nepal, the kings and rulers of the nations in this region relied on Nepali language for inter-state use as in sending letters, treaties and agreements. Prithvi Narayan Shah, during his unification campaign spanning Baise, Chaubise, Limbuwan, Khumbuwan including Apungi breakaway states, used Nepali language whenever he had to speak with the monarchs of these states." In this fashion, the Nepali language gained a status as the inter-caste medium of communication.

    There are plenty of archives to indicate that Prithvi Narayan Shah, before unification of Nepal, had used Nepali language when speaking with Kantipur’s king Laxminarsingh Malla and his son Pratap Malla. There are many evidences that kings Jagat Prakash Malla, Bhupatendra Malla, Bhaskar Malla, Pratap Malla and Jayaprakash Malla used Nepali language in their correspondence. As Nepali language was already in use among the smaller states before the creation of greater Nepal, it helped Prithvi Narayan Shah in his unification campaign.

    Historian Nayaraj Panta has mentioned many evidences to indicate that Nepali language was used in correspondence during the Malla era, many years before the unification campaign got underway. Panta writes, "There is a stone inscription in Bishwonath Temple erected by Bhim Malla in front of Kalbhairav at Hanumandhoka." The stone inscription dating back to Nepal Sambat (Newari calendar year) 761 during the time of Laxminarsingh Malla located at a Dabali at the side of Kathmandu’s big Gantaghar and Makhan Shivalaya is written in Nepali language. There is a stone inscription in Nepali language that Pratap Malla created at Rani Pokhari in Nepal Sambat 790. The red seal written in Nepali language by Jagat Prakash Malla in 1585 Sakh S. and Jaya Prakash Mall’s document signed in the name of God as a witness to Prithvi Narayan Shah in 3 Poush 1814 BS mentions, "Kathmandu will not ambush the materials brought from Gorkha, receive the goldsmith coming from Bhot, take the coins brought from Madhes, give Naldum to Kathmandu and do the work of Kathmandu."

    Historian Shankarman Rajbhanshi writes, "The Syahamohar (authority writing) written in Poush of 1719 BS by Morang king Harishchandra Sen and Brish Sen were the papers written in Nepali language.

    Makawanpur’s king Manik Sen wrote Syahamor in Nepali language to Shri Gosai and papers written under the title Kartik, 1984 BS and there are papers written in Nepali language by Budhikarna Raya in 1824 BS from Bijayapur. Nepali, Hindi, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Bangali, Gadawali languages are the children of Sanskrit language. The Sanskrit language had occupied the position of national language throughout the Licchavi rule in Nepal. (Puratatwa Sangraha 2018). During the Malla rule, Sanskrit, Nepali and Newari language including local languages were used. Before the unification of Nepal, those travelling to Gorkha, Lamjung, Kaski and Janakpur from Kathmandu spoke in Nepali language. In this way, Nepali language came into practice from Bramhaputra to Kashmir. The fact is that Nepali language is not the language enforced by the victorious rulers like kings Prithvi Narayan Shah and Mahendra.

    Darjeeling’s intellectual scholar Parasmani Pradhan had said, "Nepali language is not a language belonging only to a certain caste and creed. Not only the Bhramin, Chetri castes but Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Newar, Tamang have embraced Nepali language as their language despite having their own separate mother tongues. This has created a huge Nepali caste. There is no such thing as that one should forget the person’s caste language. If some castes are trying to struggle with the concept that Nepali language is not their language, they will not allow themselves to stand firm nor will allow others to do so. The Khas sound changed into Khas language and became the language of Gorkha and Gorkhali and now it is the language of all Nepalese people. The Nepali language is accepted by the Nepalese in India’s Assam, Manipur, Darjeeling, Deharadun of Uttaranchal and Almoda. The Indian government has given an international recognition to the Nepali language treating it as that of the government language.

    Nepal is home to various castes, languages and people. There are a total of 124 different languages spoken in the nation. Among them, 40/50 languages are in developed state. Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Sherpa, Newar, Tharu, Rajbanshi, Limbu, Rai, Thakali, Sunuwar, Satar, Urdu are popular in their own communities. The Hindi language is also spoken at some places due to the open border. However, the influence of the Hindi language as compared to what the local mother tongues have is none. Hindi is the national language of India. To adopt Indian national language is tantamount to accepting Indian dominance, which the Nepalese people are against. Since 2006, our thinking after independence has been increasingly influenced by the antinationalist elements and foreigners. This is not good for the Nepalese people.

    Nepal is very rich in terms of language. This does not mean that every local language should be turned into an official language. If attempts are made in this direction, it may create difficulties in many aspects. A Newar scholar Ashok Shrestha writes, "It is nothing more than intellectual folly to launch agitation supporting the concept of Baise and Chaubise states (22 and 24 states). Kathmandu is the capital; it is natural that multi-castes of people from diverse geographical areas stretching from Mechi in the east to Mahakali are gathered here. There is a hidden mentality to make these people that cannot speak Newari cross Thankot." Thus, people speaking different language need to sacrifice on account of nationality. Following the unification of Nepal, all the castes and creeds of the nation have merged into a single caste of being Nepali in the mainstream of greater Nepal. In 2008, at the oath taking ceremony of the Constituent Assembly (CA) members, they took oath in fifty different languages and made fun of national unity.

    The first Vice President of Republic Nepal Parmananda Jha, who has three decade’s experience as a justice, disregarded the national attire and took oath in Hindi language, an act which was against the constitution. The Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ appeared in suit and tie to take the oath of office as the Prime Minister. How shameful is it? This effort to disdain Nepalese identity was a big defect. The national attire that reflects the Nepalese identity is Daura-Suruwal and Dhaka Topi. There were no debates raised on the subject of this national attire even after the restoration of democracy in the nation. The Nepalese language is recognized as the national language since the unification. The Nepalese kings, Nepali Congress leader BP Koirala, Matrika Prasad Koirala, Tanka Prasad Acharya, K I Singh, all the leaders, including the communist leaders and poets, have never disgraced the national attire.

    Newars are nationalists. However, on purpose or inadvertently, the debate on language was started from Newars of Kathmandu. Newars are taken aback as the communal harmony existing in the nation is rickety. Newars have a huge contribution in creating awareness of Hindu and Budhist religions in Nepal. The local mother tongues can be used to save national assets through literary writings, dramas, cinemas, dance and songs. The government has made arrangement for lessons in Newari, Maithili and other languages in schools.
    In such a context where the globe is becoming a village, it would not be appropriate to get entangled in a dispute of whether the local language should be given space as official language of correspondence. For example, at Dhapkharka of Bhojpur, a Sherpa school was set up a few years ago with the intention of developing the mother tongue. Although NGOs worked ardently and the students flocked the school for some days, it closed down afterwards. The desire to learn Newari language in TU is depleting. The Newari-language department in Tri-Chandra Campus is empty. Some schools are offering courses in Limbu, Gurung, Magar, Tamang and Urdu languages. If these languages had a prospect in the international arena, it could have been taken as a positive step. If forceful attempts are made to transform the local ethnic languages into official language of correspondence, it will result in ethnic conflict, which, in turn, may harm national unity. The Nepalese scattered here and in other nations should be alert to prevent such a situation.

    (The author can be reached at dirgharajprasai@gmail.com.)

    Wednesday, February 23, 2011

    Youth or pawn?

    As I chat with foreign friends these days, I seem to hear one question over and over:  How are Nepali youth doing? As Nepal has a very high youth population (60 percent of Nepal’s population is believed to be below 25 years old) the concerns posed by this question unmask Nepal’s Achilles Heel.

    Job and income insecurity remains as pervasive in Nepal as it was a decade ago, and, as a result, migration remains the only saving grace for the nation’s youth. Therein lies a growing risk. If the global recession trickles in yet again, and if foreign job opportunities fade, Nepal could be headed for serious trouble. Limited growth, a lackluster job market and rising food prices all over the world offer good reasons to worry about such a possibility.

    It is true that migration creates efficiency gains when workers move to where they are more productive. But these days more and more Nepali youth are beginning to see Nepal not as a victim of the global system but as an emerging market capable of profiting from the free flow of trade in the global economy. It is high time that foreigners begin to see Nepal that way too.

    Nepal still needs help but the rich world must stop asking, “What can we do about Nepal?” and ask “How do we respond to those Nepali industries that are making real progress?”  The best help that the US and Europe do for Nepal is not to spoon out charity but to allow Westerners to buy the products that Nepal is capable of producing competitively. At present the rich world continues not only to obstruct such imports but to distort Nepali markets by using them as a dumping ground.

    Nepal, however, doesn’t shed its stereotypes easily. The catch phrase ‘Youth of Nepal’ signifies a moral force for the sake of the nation. But as always, reality is a bit grimmer in Nepal. Nepali youths never were and are still not encouraged to give direction to the country. That was the job and still is the job of the senior leaders.

    Nepali youth are a pawn in the political power game led by out-dated leaders rather than chief strategists. For example, though 137 out of 601 total CA members are below 35 years old, in reality, they have not been able to speak on behalf of Nepal’s youth due to the political party whips that have so far kept them from crossing party lines.

    While the youth must undertake nation building tasks, the state must also integrate youth into the country’s policies and programmes and mitigate the loss of human resources snared by the ropes of the youth migration.

    Nepali youth need to be made more responsible and answerable. There is no doubt that Nepali youths can break through economic and social barriers and shape Nepal’s future on a global scale, but they must take charge—the sooner, the better.
    source:Bhuwan Thapaliya, The Kathmandu Post, 24 feb 2011

    4 - year bachelor's degree: freedom of choice or chaos?

    There is a phenomenal growth in the number of educational institutions vis-à-vis subject areas they offer over the last decade. Consequently, students these days are at liberty to choose from a wide variety of study programs that will be of good career move.

    Recent times have opened the floodgates of four-year bachelor’s degree offering a plethora of courses which are not only new to the educational scenario of the country but also of ‘international standards’.

    In this edition of chitchat, Republica caught up with a few students who discussed both the advantages and shortcomings of today’s changing educational scenario and the so called ‘international quality courses’ colleges offer.


    Pratibha Rana, 18, Hemant Karki, 18, Kamal Shahi, 18, Sujan Nepal, 18, and Prativa Kafle, 19, all of them university students, who participated in the discussion, had a lot to say.

    “It’s a good thing that today we have more than just arts, management and science to choose from,” said Hemant Karki, opening the debate. His head nodding in agreement,

    Sujan exchanged his views as to how sometimes the varied options could also lead to bewilderment among the students.


    “It can become quite confusing sometimes, especially when you are young and open to everything; each new subject seems better than the other,” he said.

    “I have something to say,” interrupted Prativa Kafle, supporting Sujan, “The confusion abounds because the counselors at colleges elaborate on the courses in such an exaggerated manner that students’ feel compelled to choose that particular subject.”

    “The counselors should keep in mind the student’s interest and not the financial profit of the college; most of the times colleges tend to pressurize students seeking admissions to get enrolled in the most expensive study programs they offer,” put in Prathibha Rana.

    The talk on college pressure to choose a particular tailor-made course of study was followed by a discussion on yet another drawback of educational institutions -- high tuition fee.

    “Not all students can afford to pay a minimum of Rs 30,000 for a single semester, let alone large amount of miscellaneous expenses like the fee for examination form, study materials and so on,” voiced Kamal Shahi.

    They also bemoaned that since these new subject areas lack books and references written by Nepali writers, they are compelled to use works of foreign authors.

     And these books, however, don’t come cheap. They simply add to their financial burden.

    Apart from the soaring prices of textbooks, the students also shared the problem of text and graphics in the books that are not relevant. Relating to the contents, they complaint of emphasis being put on more foreign stuffs than local which students find difficult to relate to. So, are there absolutely no books by local writers?
    “There are but a very few,” said Hemant, adding, “Tragically these books are Internet based.

    ” Pratibha Kafle supported his assertion arguing that the notes teachers provide them can be easily found on the Internet. “And that too ditto,” she said.

    “Also, another issue in hand is, how even after choosing these newly introduced courses based on international curriculum, we students receive only few practical classes,” burst out Sujan. Similarly, the 12-week long internship required by such international courses before the completion of the course is hardly enough, these students say.

    “Only terming the courses as ‘international standards’ definitely won’t do; we demand more presentations, field trips and also complete elimination of rot-learning tradition. This is possible only if the teachers accepted creative answers instead of exact copy of the book,” said Kamal.

    Educational institutions have increased by leaps and bounds in the past few years. However, if we are to listen to the voices of the ones affected by them, they have earned little more than the title of ‘money-making enterprises’.

    Low academic standards, crippling shortages of teachers, poor pedagogic training and antiquated curricula are some of the things students demand immediate attention to.

    Wrapping up the discussion, all the participants finally agreed that there definitely is room for improvement and improvisation.
    source: Sahara Sharma,http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=28573

    'We hope to get more students from Nepal,Alka Verma, thways World School

    Pathways World School is a Gurgaon, India based educational institution offering International Baccalaureate (IB). IB is newly introduced teaching methodology in India and has received worldwide recognition.
    Pathways is a school for students from pre-nursery to Grade 12. Alka Verma, head of admissions and communication of Pathways World School, was in the capital on Saturday to attend an interaction with parents. Samiksha Koirala of Republica caught up with Verma to talk about the school and its activities. Excerpts:

    What was the main objective of conducting a seminar in Kathmandu?
    We have been getting some enquiries from Nepali parents. Some of them have already sent their children to us. We thought it was important to bring them together to share their experience, which could help potential parents to decide about sending their children to Pathways.

    What makes Pathways World School different from other Indian schools?
    First thing is we have introduced world recognized IB program. Out of more than 200,000 schools in India, only 46 of them have introduced IB methodology. In traditional school, students are simply judged based on their academic performance, but at Pathways along with academics, evaluation is done on the basis of their creativity, action/sports activities, service and others. We offer six different groups of subjects and students can choose one as per their interest.

    Operating schools with multi-facilities needs a huge investment. What is the total investment so far?
    The school is spread over 32 acres of land and equipped with all required facilities. Residential facilities are based on the model of a first-class British independent boarding school with professional staffing, comfortable study-bedrooms, common rooms, and catering of international standard. We invested IRs 1 billion in our first phase. It must have doubled by now.

    What is the total number of students and how is the participation of international students at Pathways?
    At present, there are 1,000 students, 250 of them are from abroad. We have a total of 23 students from Nepal and after getting positive response from the seminar, I am confident that we will have more students.
    International schools are usually considered for children from upper economic class.

     How is the fee structure compared to other Indian schools?
    With the facilities and quality we offer, parents will find the fee structure reasonable. Compared to other Indian schools, the fee would be almost twice. But it is competitive when compared to other international schools.

    source:republica, 24 feb 2011

    MoE seeks billions to ensure free education

    The Ministry of Education today said it needed additional budget of Rs 13 billion to implement the Supreme Court decision to provide free education to students up to secondary level.

    The apex court on February 21 directed the government to ensure free education up to secondary level in all government and community schools.

    MoE Joint Secretary Mahashram Sharma said based on last year’s calculation, the ministry has estimated that additional Rs 13 billion was required to provide free education up to secondary level.

    “As estimated last year, Rs 5 billion was allocated for free textbooks, tuition fee and examination fee, Rs 5 billion for salary and other facilities for non-teaching staff such as accountants, peons and others,” said Sharma. “Rs 2 billion was estimated for additional teachers in secondary level education and Rs 1 billion for construction of science building and lab and to buy other equipment for Grade XI and XII.” According to Deepak Sharma, deputy director, Budget and Programme Section, 425,000 students have been enrolled in grade IX, 365,000 in grade X and more than 300,000 in Grade XI and XII in the community schools. The government has allocated Rs 57.65 b for the education sector this fiscal year, 17.1 per cent of total budget, and an increase of 24.5 per cent over the last year’s.

    Educationist Bidhyanath Koirala said the government should allocate at least 25 per cent of the total budget to education sector to implement the SC verdict.
     
    source:THT

    Tuesday, February 22, 2011

    Eyeing English shores

    STUDYING IN THE UK TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION IS NOT ONLY SOUGHT AFTER BUT ALSO SMART AS MANY OF THE VARSITIES PROVIDE SHORTER COURSES

    The majority of Nepali students are getting attracted to international degrees and opting to go overseas to pursue their higher education. Among different nations, the UK is one popular destination for Nepali students.Choosing to study in the UK means a world of best opportunities is open to students once they complete their education and get the degrees. "The UK offers an outstanding education system that provide international recognition, good value for money and shorter courses," informed Sudeep Khanal, Education Promotion Officer at British Council Nepal.

    But if anyone wants to have a happy and secure life in the UK as a student, some things must be taken into consideration before proceeding. fusion of students, Khanal suggested, "Every institution that a student chooses must be registered with the UK Broder Agency (UKBA)."

    And regarding the applications, he stated, "Undergraduate application can be made through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), while postgraduate application can be made directly to the institutions at any time." Working hours · As per UKBA policy -· Degree level and above students can work 20 hours per week · Below degree level stu dents can work 10 hours per week · Student can work full time 40 hours per week during vacations Shorter courses Compared to other places in the world, the UK offers short-term courses for students. There are over 150 institutions in the UK (Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales) that are permitted to award a variety of degrees to suit most educational aspirations. "Except in the Scotland, students can complete their undergraduate study in three years and post graduate in just a year," informed Khanal adding, "Students can save their time and money besides getting highly recognised international degree."

    Universities and institutions of Scotland however offer four years undergraduate studies and two years post graduate degrees.Eligibility criteria "Largely the rules and criteria of the universities and institutions determine the placement of a particular student," informed Khanal. "Students who have completed higher secondary level course in Nepal need to complete a foundation course in colleges or universities in the UK," he stated.
    Foundation course is a one-year preuniversity course and students need IELTS score of at least 4.5 or equivalent to get entry on to a foundation course. The case is similar for those willing to pursue post graduation in the UK. "Stu dents should have at least 16 years of formal education, otherwise they have to do a year of foundation course," he informed.

    Cost of living and e s studying Students expect to fulfil their living o and study expense by working in the t UK. But Khanal suggested, "The exe penses in the UK are comparatively r high and it is not possible for students d to continue to work and study together.It is impossible for students to earn e money from part time jobs to pay their g tuition fees," he stated. "They should opt to choose the UK as their educa tional destination only if they are able to bear living and studies cost."

    Students getting scholarship may t find it easier but Khanal opined, "Strong academic background, in volvement of students in volunteer works, work experience especially for post graduate students are very much e important requirements students e should have with them to apply for a " scholarship."
    e And students may get partial to full l scholarships in universities.

    Choosing and applying for universities d t "The registration of many universities in the UK had been dismissed in o earlier years, so I am in dilemma and unable to determine which university f is a good one," opined Pragya Sharma, e who is eager to pursue her under grade uation in the UK.

    source:Sharada Adhikari , 23 feb 2011, The Himalayan times

    South Asian University to launch new courses

    The South Asian University is introducing five new programmes for the students of SAARC region in July.
    SAU is sponsored by eight SAARC member states. Prof Rajiv K Saxena, Officer on Special Duty, Academics and Planning, said they were planning to introduce MSc Biotechnology, MSc Computer Science, MA Sociology, MA International Relations and Master’s of Law.

    “At least 30 students will be enrolled in each programme,” he said, adding that the university is also planning to introduce PhD programme. Prof Saxena said the courses would begin from July 6 and an entrance test would be held at major cities of each country on May 21. Prof Krishna Manandhar has been appointed to select students from Nepal.

    Students will be drawn from all eight SAARC countries in proportion to their population but with a minimum of 4 per cent for five countries each (Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan) and 10 per cent each for Pakistan and Bangladesh.

    Besides, total 10 per cent students can be enrolled from non-SAARC countries. India, the host country, will enjoy maximum 50 per cent quota.  SAU began its operations in August, 2010, with 50 students in two programmes, namely MA Development Economics and Master’s in Computer Applications.
    Students from six SAARC nations, except Maldives and Afghanistan, were enrolled in the first year.
    Three students have recently been enrolled in the first year programme that lasts till 2014. After five
    years, the SAU will have 3,000 students and 300 teachers with 11 post-graduate courses (four science and seven non-science), a small faculty of undergraduate studies and an institute of South Asian Studies which is expected to become a premier think-tank.

    He said the final strength of university is expected to be 7,000 students and 700 teachers. Students at the university will receive visas to visit SAARC countries. Member countries, except India, may set up regional campuses in due course of time.

    source: THT

    Why women should be lawyers :Women’s best defence is legal education


    Of Nepal’s total population of around 23 million, about 50 percent are women. And like in many developing countries, the condition of Nepal’s women is not yet satisfactory. From the ancient Kirat dynasty to the present republic, the legacy of women as subordinate has continued. Gender-relations are context specific and are the result of socially constructed, unequal power relations. There is nothing in women’s reproductive responsibilities that should make them subordinate to men. Rather it is the culture which establishes male supremacy and female subordination.

     Various religious texts like the Manusmriti and Naradsmriti assumed women to be objects and excluded them from political and administrative decision making and participation. The first ever codified law, Jayasthiti Malla’s Nyayabikasini (1380), explained that women were created for the sake of bearing offspring. They were not permitted to be witnesses to court cases. Women were deprived of social, political, cultural and legal rights and treated as goods for entertainment. Each revolution felt like the culmination of the misery of women. These times of excitement, swift decisions and countless improvisations turned out to be just dreams. The ugly reality was that whether during the revolt of 1990 or 2007, issues related to women were overlooked, and they remain paralysed in the name of patriarchy, custom and superstition.

    Patriarchy is an overwhelming ideology which pervades all aspects of social existence. Male dominated family systems provide very little scope for females to assert their identity. In our own history, the roles of the three queens who ruled during

    the Malla dynasty, Debal Devi, Nayab Devi and Rajalla Devi were overshadowed by the influence of patriarchal society. And the bravery shown by Chandraprabhawati, Rajendra Laxmi and Bhrikuti in the war of Nalapani was underappreciated because of their sex. Women’s potential has forever been questioned and their participation resisted.

    Pluralism, the essence of democracy, is neglected when women are deprived of participation. Women’s subordination pervades all areas—economic, social, religious, cultural, political and ideological—each of which reinforce each other. As such, efforts to liberate women from oppressive gender relations must be all encompassing. Women’s problems will not be solved by addressing just basic needs. Power relations must also be addressed. Women’s overall socio-political and economic status will improve only by change of gender relations of supremacy and subordination.

    Empowerment must be a multi-dimensional process encompassing all aspects of social existence. Legal rights assure equity and equality in access to resources, education and knowledge and provide a consciousness of and a willingness to fight against imbalanced power relations. The best way to empower women is by providing education, particularly legal education. Many women are scared to indulge in the legal profession assuming it to be dangerous and to lower their prospects for marriage as grooms’ families won’t appreciate a lawyer bride. But are women born just to get married? This question forever occupies my mind. The indoctrination of females as delicate from birth, suited to domestic chores like cooking and knitting, prevents many bright minds from pursuing challenging work.

    Nepal has recently emerged from armed conflict and is passing through a transition phase. Women have too often been unrecognised victims of the conflict as their access to protection, justice, and equal human rights was limited to begin with. Legal education has emerged as means by which women can cease to be inert and become legally aware. Nepali women, especially poor women, are particularly vulnerable to lost access to critical social services. Legal knowledge helps them overcome these obstacles of injustice and inequality, whilst providing freedom from subordination.

    The legal field is universally recognised as one of the most reputed professions.  But the field is dominated by male professionals. Very few women have held top positions, namely Indira Rana as Secretary of Law council, Sharada Shrestha as a judge in the appeal court, Hetauda and Gauri Dhakal as a judge in the Appellate court, Saptari followed by Sharada Bajracharya and Miramaya Khadka. In comparison to men, women still represent just a small slice of professionals in most fields.

    Patriarchal society and cultural boundaries have limited women’s upward mobility. The perceived usefulness of educating females is equal to that of watering the neighbours’ plants. Various laws exist for the protection of women like Article 20 of the Interim Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom from discrimination. Article 39 Section 9 of Part 4 says, “the state shall pursue a policy of making special provision for social security for the protection and betterment of single women and the ratification of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) which assures elimination of discrimination against women...” The articles refer to provision of just and equal conditions. But without implementation, these provisions are mere words.

    In any profession, a woman has to work even harder to prove her usefulness compared with male competitors. She is already at a disadvantage because of her sex. By pursuing legal education, women effectively can become social engineers. This is the most direct way in which women can fight the obstacles of injustice standing in their way. Female lawyers are best able to understand the problems of women. This is why Mira Dhungana was so able to relate to a client and introduce the concept of marital rape. Had Dhungana’s client seen a male lawyer, the issue may not have been documented or taken seriously. So the responsibility is on women to enter the legal profession and equip themselves with access to justice.

    Equality and equity are human rights due to women, which they must claim. It is imperative that rising female professionals recognise the roadblocks on their journey. Women must no longer be viewed as objects of development; they must become agents of development. Mahatma Gandhi rightly stated that if a man is educated, a single person becomes educated. But if a woman is educated, a whole family becomes educated. It’s time that women raise their own voices to secure justice. And it’s time that the birth of a female child is a time of happiness.

    Aakriti Raymajhi
    Rayamajhi is pursuing an L.L.B. at Kathmandu School of Law

    source:ekantipur,23 feb 2011

    Monday, February 21, 2011

    Plans to teach schoolchildren soft skills

    The Ministry of Education (MoE) is going to incorporate soft skills in school education to make students globally competent as per the School Sector Reform Plan (SSRP). Nakul Baniya, deputy secretary, MoE said that currently education was only limited to books and teachers therefore soft skill education was necessary to develop students’ ability to think critically and act practically. He said, “Soft skill education

    will help students think critically and develop competencies to cope with global challenges.” According to Baniya, soft skill education will be incorporated with almost all subjects in some way so that they get practical knowledge along with book-based theoretical education. MoE and other line agencies are preparing an action plan to launch soft skill programme at the school level.
    He said teachers will also be trained in the same way so that they develop strategies to develop soft skills in students.

    “We have recently prepared ‘National Framework for Capacity Development’ (NFCD) for school teachers, academic institutions and other related line agencies,” he added. As per NFCD, School Improvement Plan (SIP)will be the main mechanism for development planning at the school level and it will be widely understood and recognised in all public schools.
    SIP has been made mandatory and all public schools are required to prepare SIPs with a five-year and annual improvement cycles.

    He said, "On the basis of demand and strategies proposed by schools in the SIP, the respective District Education Office and Department of Education will give orientation and training programmes to the school management and school teachers along with necessary funds."
    A month ago, the MoE had carried out pilot tests for NFCD in three community schools in Kathmandu Valley -Bansbari Secondary School, Shivapuri Higher Secondary School and Bal Byawasai Kendra Secondary School.

    source:THT

    Provide free education till Plus Two: SC

    In a remarkable decision today, the Supreme Court asked the government to provide free education up to secondary level.A division bench of Justices Bala Ram KC and Bharat Bahadur Karki issued the verdict directing the government to ensure free education up to secondary level in all the government and community schools as per the constitution and promulgate a separate Act if necessary.

    The apex court is sued the verdict responding to a public interest litigation filed by Lekhnath Neupane, former chairman of All Nepal National Independent Student UnionRevolutionary, demanding an apex court order to ensure free education to all.

    “A directive is hereby issued in the name of the defendant, the government authorities, to ensure free education through all the schools except those operating under private investment and under private management, as per Article 17 (2) of the constitution and Article 13 (2) (b) of International Covenant of Educational Social and Cultural Right, 1966,” the bench observed.

    As per the School Sector Reform Plan that came into force in 2009, school education has been divided into two categories — basic education (grade I to VIII) and secondary education (grade VIII to XII).As per SSRP, the new secondary education programme will be implemented from 2013, as education up to Grade X only is currently identified as the secondary level education.

    However, the government has been providing incentives to girl students of public and government schools up to Class X.
    Additionally, Dalits, marginalised and people in Karnali zone are also getting free education up to Class XII.
    Stating that the government authorities did not promulgate the Act as required by the constitution even years after the promulgation of the interim constitution, the writ petitioner had sought an apex court intervention.

    The petitioner had also accused the political parties of not translating their promises — to provide free education to
    all — into action. Lekhnath Paudel, Assistant Spokesperson at the Ministry of Education, termed the SC verdict praiseworthy. However, Paudel said the ministry was planning to implement free education, but it had not been able to do so due to the financial crunch.

    “If National Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance allocate sufficient budget, we will implement the verdict from the next academic session,” said Paudel. But he said the ministry was not in a position to estimate the budget to execute the verdict rightnow. “It depends on number of students. Currently, the government has allocated Rs 57.67 billion to MoE. We are also planning to distribute secondary level textbooks free of cost,” said Paudel. As per MoE’s last year June statistics, 790,348 students had enrolled in 4,715 community secondary schools.

    Educationist Bidhyanath Koirala welcomed the verdict but with the caveat how the government will find resources. “Without adequate resources such plans cannot be materialised,” said Koirala.

    source:THT

    Sunday, February 20, 2011

    Int’l meet of English language teachers

    Kathmandu, Feb 19: The 16th international conference of Nepal English Language Teachers Associations’ (NELTA) concluded Sunday by electing a new 19-member committee chaired by Hemanta Raj Dahal.

    The three-day conference held at DAV Sushil Kedia School, Lalitpur, from 16 February elected Mira Shertha, Maya Rai, Kamal Paudel, Padam Chauhan, Prem Bahadur Phyak to the posts of senior vice chairperson, vice chairperson, general secretary, treasurer and secretary respectively.

    Likewise, Madhu Neupane, Saraswoti Dawadi, Manmaya Sharma, Asok Raj Khati, Bimal Nepali, Sanker Datta Bhatta, Sajan Kumar Karna, Moti Kala Devan, Dr. Chandreswor Misra, Arun Kumar Chetri, Kasi Raj Pandya and Sarita Devan were elected as members.

    Language experts from 20 countries including the USA, the U.K, Japan, Turkey, Korea, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan and around 700 teachers across Nepal attended the conference.
    The participants discussed on the topic ‘English in the Context of Multilingual and Multicultural society: Identifying the opportunities and their Challenges.’

    The organisers also decided to move NELTA conference out of valley. According to the new plan, they are going to organize regional conference at Gandaki Boarding School, Lamachaur, Pokhara, on 21 and 22 February.

    source:rising nepal

    Pokhara varsity's 8th convocation

    LEKHNATH: A total of 1,044 students from 23 affiliated campuses and three constituent colleges of Pokhara University today received their graduation certificates at the university’s eighth convocation.

    Prime Minister and Chancellor of the university, Jhala Nath Khanal, felicitated the graduates of Bachelors and Masters programmes from different streams. He recommended the university to zero in on development and research work for the all-round development of the country. “The education sector needs to be free from political meddling”, Khanal told the audience.

    The Prime Minister, however, accepted that the state had failed to provide education relevant to the present times to its youth.

    Chief guest Dr Achyuta Samanta, founder and professor of the Bhuwaneswor (India)-based Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University, opined that Nepali students could compete anywhere in the world if given quality education.

    Urging the graduates to focus on community service and research-oriented activities, the professor said quality education equipped with latest technology could help in Nepal’s swift development.

    “Focus on theoretical knowledge has caused a rise in unemployment,” university vice-chancellor Kesarjung Baral said. According to him, quality education will contribute to human development, personality development, employment, social justice and economic development of the nation.

    Toppers of various Masters and Bachelors degree programmes were awarded the Chancellor’s Medals and Vice-chancellor’s Medals respectively during the ceremony.

    Similarly, the topper of the Masters in Management programme was conferred the Laxmi Vidhya Medal and the highest scorer in the Bachelors of Management programme was given the Oxford Medal.

    Pokhara University has been running various programmes under faculties of Management, Science and Technology and Humanities and Social Sciences. The university, located at Lekhnath-12 Dhungepatan, has 15,000 students currently studying in its affiliated and constituent campuses.

    source:THT


    Saturday, February 19, 2011

    UGC focus on community-run colleges

    The University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to provide reform grants to additional 43 community colleges apart from already existing 47 ones. The grant amount the colleges are set to receive range from $ 80,000 to 2.5 million.The UGC decision comes in the face of its failure to transform six large public colleges into autonomous ones by the end of 2013.

    Under the multi-million dollar Second Higher Education Project (SHEP), funded solely by the World Bank (WB), the UGC had envisioned to give autonomy to six public colleges with a potential to develop into separate universities in future. However, with the college autonomy project becoming a non-starter and community-run colleges that receive reform grants performing relatively well, the UGC has decided to divert a large chunk of the fund, essentially allocated for making public colleges autonomous, to community colleges.

    "Now, a total of 90 community colleges will receive grant," Hriday Ratna Bajracharya, technical advisor to the UGC for the SHEP, said. "We will try to ensure at least one college in each district receives grant."
    The UGC plans to provide reform grants under three schemes. Under the first scheme, colleges will receive a maximum of $ 2.5 million. Similarly, under the second and third schemes, colleges will get up to $ 400,000 and $ 80,000 respectively. To be eligible for the grant, community colleges will have to meet a set of standards, ranging from a minimum of 25 per cent pass outs to producing at least 20 graduates every year.
    "The WB has already given its nod to the UGC decision to support more community colleges," said Bajracharya. "However, the UGC has not yet asked colleges to submit proposals. Once the government appoints the chairman and the member secretary to the UGC, we will make an announcement." The UGC has been facing leadership crisis for over the last seven months.

    College autonomy program fails

    Three years after the SHEP kicked off, only one college, Mahendra Ratna Campus of Ilam district, has succeeded to become autonomous. Worse, the UGC officials see no chance of any more colleges developing into autonomous educational institutions in near future. "At the outset, every one seemed excited about making their colleges autonomous," Bajracharya told Republica. "However, a sense of discord grew soon with teachers and college students divided over autonomy project."

    As in the case of school handover campaign, the main reason behind the failure of the college autonomy program is that many teachers believe that the government will stop funding their salaries once the colleges become autonomous."This is a wrong notion," Bajracharya said. "The rationale behind this project is devolution of power and giving greater freedom to colleges to let them cater to local people´s requirements."

     source:republica

    Kantipur to build schools

    The Kantipur Publication Pvt. Ltd. has decided to initiate ‘School Buildings Construction Campaign’ as part of the ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ of the publication.

    Speaking at a program organised to mark the 18th Anniversary of the Kantipur Publication in the publication premises on Saturday, Chairman and Managing Director Kailash Sirohiya announced that a new school building will be constructed every year for the next five years in the rural districts of Nepal.
    This year’s the campaign will construct a building in the Karnali Zone and the building will be handed over to the local community, he added.

    “We are launching a campaign—constructing the school buildings—this year from the Karnali Zone as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility,” said the chairman.He also informed that the campaign would be financed by the Kantipur Welfare Fund. Sirohiya claimed that despite of some "unexpected hindrances" that surfaced this year, the popularity of Kantipur did not falter.

    “Various blockades were imposed in the news print and media advertising,” said Sirohiya. “But still the number of customers has increased.”He said that the coloured pages will be further added in the Kantipur daily.Similarly, on the occasion, various awards distribution programmes were organised.The 18th Anniversary of the publication was concluded with a dinner programme.

    source:Ekantipur

    Regulating private schools is policy gone wild

    Thousands of Nepali students come to the US every year. Many of them work 40 hours a week, yet manage to graduate in the top 10 percentile of their university. There is little doubt that private schools in Nepal do a better job preparing students for college than what many government schools of the US do.

    More than ever before, such quality private education has become accessible to the masses. What was confined to Kathmandu Valley has now trickled down to Hetauda, Chitwan, Janakpur and Surkhet. Increasingly more, students from outside Kathmandu are attending colleges around the world that were accessible only to the elite of Nepal until a decade ago. Thousands of parents, who would have had to send their kids to Kathmandu or Darjeeling at a higher cost, now have access to such education at half the cost within the reach of their homes. All of this would not have been possible without private schools.

    Private schools have also made inroads into very remote places, where basic necessities like clean drinking water and proper roads have not reached. Expectedly these private schools have smaller buildings, fewer teachers and little resources. But they still offer higher quality education compared to government schools. These schools cost about Rs 500 to Rs1000 per month and are attended by children whose fathers pull rickshaws and mothers labor in the farms, or whose parents have a small teashop.

    In these schools, just like in any other private school, education is business; the owner makes sure that the students get what they pay for and teachers need to come on time and deliver. If there are complaints from the students or parents, these teachers are replaced. The cost is kept down, because competition is stiff. If parents feel the school isn’t providing education worth their money, they switch. In other words, the market makes sure that these schools offer education that is worth their price.

    These tiny private schools in small towns will not remain like this forever. As the economy of the towns grow, they will become better. Schools like GEMS and Little Angeles used to be housed in cramped places with classrooms without proper windows. Now they have beautiful sprawling campuses that would be an envy of any private school in the world. Their teachers and students have better facilities than they used to. They have collaborated with international institutions, and provide better opportunities to the students than ever before. It is realistic to hope that the same story is going to happen for schools in Janakpur and Hetauda, and later in much remote villages and towns.

    But all of this will only happen if our government keeps its hands out of private education. Unfortunately, this seems unlikely. Private schools currently pay 25 percent tax on their net income, just like corporation that produce alcohol, perfumes and cigarettes. On top of that, they are now required to pay an extra percent as education service tax. As if that was enough, there is now a new provision that requires every student attending private school to contribute Rs 1 per month towards a Rural Education Development Fund (REDF). The plan is to channel these funds to improve government schools in remote areas.

    These taxations will make private education more expensive. Eventually the burden of these taxations is going to be passed down to the parents. This is because owners of private schools are fully aware that even if they raise the fee, the students will not switch to a government school. The worst hit by this law is going to be the poor parents who are struggling to send their kids to private schools. For them, the extra fees are a bigger burden than for those who are better off.

    Advocates of higher tax for private school seem to be aware of that. But they don’t care. They are convinced that private school has done more harm than good to our nation. Dr Baburam Bhattarai, the ideologue of the Maoist party has publicly advocated for shut down of private schools. He believes that private schools are adding fuel to the increasing disparity between the rich and the poor. But he has never explained the basis on which he reached such a conclusion.

    Actually, private schools may be decreasing the gap between the rich and the poor. Think about case where there are no private schools in Nepal. The doctor’s children will then go to a boarding school in Darjeeling, while those of auto-rickshaw will puller go to a government school in Janakpur. Contrast this with having plenty of private schools. Under this circumstance, doctor’s children will go to a private school, and the children of rickshaw pullers will go to a not-so-good private school. In this case, will the future economic gap between the child of auto-rickshaw puller and doctor be narrower?

    The other motivation of taxing private school is to transfer money from private school to government schools. The idea is that with better resources these government schools will perform better. This is unlikely to happen. What is ailing in government schools is not lack resource but its poor management. They have highly paid teachers, better infrastructure than many private schools but the students perform poorly. What we need is better rules in these schools: rules that make teachers come on time, rules that compel headmasters to spend more time managing his school than politicking, rules that give headmaster more power to fire bad teachers, rules that make teachers more answerable to parents.
    In meantime, we should leave private schools alone. They are doing just fine.

    680anand@gmail.com
    DR ANAND JHA:Republica,20 feb 2011

    Thursday, February 17, 2011

    You thief

    The dean, accompanied by the professors of the English Department, entered our class in a solemn mood early one morning. Explaining the purpose of their delegation, the dean shouted at us for stealing. Yes, he was accusing us, a dozen mature students well informed about the sins of stealing. Curious to know about the items that were stolen, we listened alertly to the dean. But, the dean was not talking about any commodity theft; rather he was talking of the theft of ideas—plagiarism.

    Not knowing much about the issue of plagiarism, we were astonished to hear that all 12 of us had committed plagiarism in one form or the other, and legally we were all thieves. Plagiarism, in a layman terms, is ‘copying anyone’s works, words, and sentences, without any or proper citation and apparently making it their original work’.

    Though there are various complicated levels of plagiarism as well, the Dean defined plagiarism as not merely the stealing of words, but as the stealing of ideas.

    In my 20 year-long career as a student, I had never learned about plagiarism in detail, or even gave it much thought. But after this incident, I became conscious about not plagiarising. I started quoting, citing, and paraphrasing authors in every sentence that drew ‘influence’ from others. I made sure that the credit to another writer’s work was given. And, later I got the sense that just adding a few words in my work, by citing and referencing, not only saved me from being a ‘thief’, but also helped the readers know that I have read enough books to thoroughly prepare and understand my work.

    After that, I started noticing rampant plagiarism in the works of ‘famous’ writers as well. I have found that not only regular columnists in newspapers but also renowned authors of books plagiarised on more than one occasion. Copying and pasting in newspapers, articles and books without mentioning the source is an unchecked practice in Nepal, but copying lines and lines from authors is also frequently seen, not only among students, but also among academicians.

    I admit that academia anywhere in the world can never be totally free of plagiarism, and it is hard to discover every minute issue of plagiarism every single time. Moreover, due to the lack of proper copyright and plagiarism laws, one cannot legally punish plagiarists in contemporary Nepal’s context.

    But, just having the courtesy of giving someone the credit for their work they are due would certainly stop plagiarism from the individual level. Again, the problem with the act of plagiarising is not in copying the words, as words are limited, but of taking credit for other’s ideas, which are unlimited, as no two person can think exactly the same. Just think how you would feel if someone steals your bike and claims it to be their own! Let’s unite and stop plagiarism.
    by:Sanjay Sharma, The Kathmandu Post

    Dang School Students foil child marriage

    When many guests had gathered, a group of school barged into the wedding venue and disrupted it.

    90 % Nayagaun students deprived of education

    Kohalpur, Feb 17 - Around 90 per cent students of Nayagaun village in Baijapur-3, Banke district, were deprived of education as they kept themselves busy in household chores and animal rearing.
    According to the recent data, a total of 1,300 children are in the 224 households of the settlement. Only 80 of them attend the school.

    As the name suggests, Nayagaun (new village) was discovered only two years ago.Immediately after the finding of the village, Suryodaya Primary school was set up there but only 80 students are studying in grades one and two in the school now.

    "Ninety per cent of the children of the village do not come to school," said headmaster Man Bahadur Khadka.According to the District Administration Office of Banke, the settlement of the VDC was found around two years ago and it takes three hours to reach the new settlement from Baijapur.

    When the villagers do not make the proper utilization of only school of the village, 90 percent of children are deprived of education, said the district administration office.Khadka said, "As the settlement is scattered, small children are getting problem to walk 2 hours through a jungle to reach the school."

    He informed that as eights villages of Nayagaun doesn’t have a school, children of most of the households go to stay in their relatives’ house to obtain school education and those who do not have their relatives in the urban areas stay home by grazing cattle.Khadka stated that the youngsters of the village were also moving towards different cities of India as migrant workers.

    The government had also purposed a new primary school for Baskhola of the village.
    Around two years ago, the locals of Nayaguan even didn’t know the name of their own VDC. When the media of Banke published news about the discovery of the new settlement in the district, Chief District and Local Development Officers had reached the settlement and named it as Nayagaun.
    After reaching the VDC, they urged the villagers to receive their citizenship certificate from Baijapur VDC. Though the locals have the rights to vote and enjoy the facilities provided by the state, they have enjoyed none.They are still deprived of the fundamental rights like education, health, drinking water and many other services, said Krishna Bahadur Budathoki, one of the locals.
    source:rising nepal

    Schools enrollment campaign

    The Students of Baijyanath Primary School at Kanchanpur have help many other to get an enrolment at the district schools.These students have collaborated for enrolling children and youths belonging to the underprivileged and marginalized groups. After a formation of Children Campaign Awareness Group by INSEC, the students are all set to help more students to get enrolment at the schools.

    Indra Prasad Bhattarai, secretary, Children Awareness Group, said that the group was formed three months ago that has helped a good number of students to get access to education at the school.

    Bhattarai said that a lack of awareness and illiteracy was the main reason that barred many children from the light of education.

    "Such groups will be formed at other schools as well," said Bhattarai.

    The group has been formed for creating awareness among the students and their parents about the importance of schooling. A total of 11 students are affiliated to the group.

    Meanwhile, Campus Chief Jas Bahadur Lungedi and assistant campus chiefs Pushpa Dungana and Kedhav Kumar Kharel of Mahendra Ratna Multiple Campus, Ilam have tendered their resignations citing that the students unions directly interfered with their works.

    Issuing a joint press release on Thursday they informed that they had resigned from their respective positions. The student unions have carried out protests and directly interfered with the works of the campus administration compelling them to tender their resignations.

    Nepal Student Union (NSU) and All Nepal National Independent Student Union Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) have been padlocking the main gate of the campus along with office of the campus chief and assistant campus chiefs for the past two months.

    The students have charged that the campus chief has been involved in irregularity while giving appointment to the teachers on the contract basis.

    Ganju Kumar Pradhan, campus unit president of the ANNISU-R said following the resignation of campus chief the door has opened for new dialogues through which consensus could be reached to run the campus.

    After the resignation of the campus heads, the students opened the gate and the campus.

    Likewise, Media Initiatives for Rights, Equity and Social Transformation (MIREST), Nepal, here today organized an interaction on how to guarantee the issues of the gender equality and women rights in the new constitution.

    Executive director of MIREST Gaurabpurna Saini said the organization has been conducting such interactions in 50 districts and aims to organize in all districts across the country.

    Saini said that most of the participants in the interaction across the country have suggested the lawmakers to guarantee the fundamental rights in the new constitution.

    source:rising nepal

    Tuesday, February 15, 2011

    Sanskrit school facing problem due to death of principal

    Illam: The only Sanskrit school that has been running secondary level education at Maipokhari of Illam has been facing difficulty to run its business following the death of its principal.Thal Prasad Khatiwada, the school principal, died after drowning at pond. Soon after his dead, the school failed to run classes, locals said.

    The students of the school therefore have been unable to carry on their study for a long period
    Meanwhile, owing to a lack of government assistance that should as scholarships to the students, attraction of Sanskrit school among students has decreased. Without the upgradation of infrastructure and sufficient number of teaches, the school will remain unable to run its activity soundly, locals added.

    Likewise, the lower secondary level, Maisthan Sanskrit School has also encountered problem in the lacks of teachers. At there only one teacher is appointed in relief quotas.

    The school has been running a class with the affiliation of Purbanchal Education Regional Directorate. The school has employed three teachers on a rotational basis. Each teacher receives Rs. 40 for per lecture at the classs.

    The municipality, village development committee (VDC) and constituent assembly member Kul Bahadur Gurung extended their support to establish the school. However, the school authority has not received any support from the government, Bhanu Bhakta Bhattarai, secretary of the school management committee, said.He urged with the authority to lend support to steer the school out of crisis.However, without proper amount of budget, it is very hard to run the school, teacher Yam Prasad Bhandari said.

    source:rising nepal

    Students getting computer education

    Parbat: The Kafalchaur Higher Secondary School, Durlung-8 of Parbat has started providing computer education to its students after it started receiving regular supports from different donors.In the memory of late Gunja Singh Gurung and Shashi Maya Gurung, sons Santosh, Rajkumar and Darshan Gurung provided 12 computers from the U.K. And Jeevan Gurung working as a British Gurkha also provided computers, power inverters and wireless facility to the school.

    Likewise, Dr. Om Gurung, former president of Federation of Indigenous People and Nationalities, has supported the school by providing a set of computer, Dhan Raj Gurung provide one colour printer, District Development Committee provided six sets of computers, one laptop, one multimedia projector. The school procured nine sets of computers through its own resources.

    After receiving computers and other gadgets, the school started computer education from last year, said Jeeb Nath Paudel, the principal of school.With a total of 29 computers, the school started computer education from class six to eight. The new lessons on computer has helped the students a lot as they do not need to visit the district headquarters only to get computer training, the principal added.

    Meanwhile the visually-impaired children, who have been studying at Rakhupiple based school in Myagdi district, have been provided with educational materials and stationeries.Plan Nepal provided the materials for 15 students of Ganodaya Secondary School.The organization provided white sticks, educational materials, furniture pieces and kitchen items worth Rs. 110,000, said Nilkantha Subedi, the school headmaster.
    source:rising nepal

    College Theatre Festival from Feb 17

    College students eager to learn about the atre and watch some plays have good news. From February 17 the College Theatre Festival is starting in which different colleges will be staging plays and college students will get an opportunity to take part in seminars on different aspects of theatre. It will be held at Gurukul. Organisers Pathshala Theatre at a press meet held on February 15 informed that eight colleges would perform plays in the festival.

    During this 10-day long festival, theatre enthusiasts would also get an opportunity to take part in seminars and art installations. "This festival will give limitless opportunity to the youth to learn about the atre and acting, share ideas with others, get involved in teamwork and showcase their talent through acting," stated Sabin Gnawali, coor dinator of the festival.
    The opening ceremony will take place on February 17 with the staging of Krapp's Last Tape by Pathshala Theatre.
    Feb 18: Purgatory (Oscar International College) ·
    Feb 19: Untitled (Rato Bangala School) ·
    Feb 20: Dead/ Alive (Xavier International Higher Secondary School) ·
    Feb 21: Bamiyan's Cold Buddhas (Little Angel's School) ·
    Feb 22: Othello (KUSOM) ·
    Feb 23: Tears in the Fire (Ullen's School) ·
    Feb 24: Hami Arthaat Ma (Chelsea International Academy) ·
    Feb 25: Play from Kathmandu University High School ·
    Feb 26: Krapp's Last Tape (Pathshala Theatre) Show timings: 12:00 noon and 5:00 pm Venue: Sama Theatre Hall, Gurukul Tickets: Rs 100 for students, Rs 200 for others available at the venue


    source:THT

    Understanding information technology

    The information technology field is a fast-growing sector in terms of career With society becoming more reliant on technology, more people are needed to create the software and hardware for the same. And the demand for IT professionals is high in the market and so is the scope of IT professionals as the subject is practical and it is easy for students to get a job by the time they complete their studies.
    Information Technology is one of the most popular subjects in Tribhuwan University (TU), Purbanchal University (PU) as well as in universities abroad.

    Increasing demand "IT is all about computers that explores computer technology and information management," shared Prakash Shrestha, a lecturer and Systems Officer at Informatics College Kamal Pokhari adding that there is an increasing number of students in this subject. Working as a regular franchisee of Informatics Education Limited Singapore, Informatics College had been provided a quota for very little number of students earlier.

    "Now we are permitted to take in 60 students per trimester. Because this subject addresses the need of present time, the number of students is increasing," informed Shrestha.

    Expressing similar views, Binod Ranabhat, pursuing Bachelor of Information Management (BIM), IIIrd semester from Kantipur College of Management and Information Technology (KCMIT) said, "IT is such a subject that incorporates new technology and its definition keeps on changing with time." Future prospects "There is fun, creativity and money in this profession. I dream of working in Google, Microsoft or any other renowned IT firms in future," shared Akshobhya Dahal, Bachelor's of Science, Honours in Computer, IInd Year student at Informatics College.

    Agreeing with him, Padam Shankhadev, Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT), VIth semester student at College of Information Technology and Engineering (CITE), shared, "If we are able to show our talent, we get job placements even while pursuing our studies. I see even better opportunities once we complete our studies." "More than 20 graduates of our college are employed in Microsoft offices. Besides, there are ample job opportunities in Nepal and countries abroad," informed Amrit Koirala, faculty member at CITE.
    The future of this subject is really good as viewed by Indra PC, a faculty member at KCMIT who said, "Most students who have graduated from our colleges are abroad studying and working. Also there are very few qualified IT professionals in the market due to which we need more IT professionals in the days to come."

    Shrestha, who also sees brain drain "as one of the biggest problems in the IT sector of Nepal", opined, "The outsourcing business is high in Nepal, after India. Demand for qualified IT professionals in this sector will keep on growing in the years to come."

    Practicality of subject Information Technology is a very practical subject but students com plain of the subject being unable to retain its practicality. "We do have a very excellent course content which however is more theoretical. Had it been more practical and job-orient ed, it would be much easier for us to implement what we learnt in college in practice," opined Raghunath Pathak, a VIth semester student at CITE.
    Similarly, Binaya Regmi, a BIM Vth semester at KCMIT complained, "IT should be a more practical-based subject but we have to study more theoretical subjects than the practi cal ones."
    Shishir Poudel , a BIM IIIrd semes ter student said, "The syllabus should be updated timely to make it more practical and time relevant.This is lacking in the syllabus of TU."

    And Dahal added there are few practical projects assigned to them in college. "We need more projects, so we can be practically capable of doing what we learn at college and in the classroom." Challenges "Compared to the days when we started BIT course back in 2000, the craze of students studying IT in Nepal has decreased as most of them prefer to study abroad. The political crisis in the country has discouraged students here for they do not get enough opportunities in the IT sector once they complete their studies," complained Koirala.
    Sadikchhay Rijal, BIT VIth semester student at CITE, has been troubled by the schedule of the Purbanchal University. "Exams are not conducted on time and we are suffering from that," she stated.
    Despite growing demand in the IT sector, PC opined, "Though we produce enough manpower in IT sector, we do not have industries where students can go and practice. And even the students have to suffer to complete their internship as corporate houses do not respond well to such students."
    "The high cost has been a challenge and we want to make the fee even more affordable," Shrestha stated.
    WHAT IT COSTS
    Informatics College (affiliated to University of Portsmouth, UK) ·
    Bachelors of Sci ence, Honours in Computer ·
    Minimum three years · Estimated cost: Rs 7.5 lakhs ·
    Eligibility: Should have passed +2 from any faculty or passed A-Lev el or students who have attended +2 but not passed are provided eight months long training and enrolled

    College of Information Technology and Engineering (affiliated to Purbanchal University) Courses offered · Bachelors of Information Technology (BIT) ·
    Bachelors of Computer Applications (BCA) ·

    Bachelors of Computer Engineering (BCE) · Four years course
    Estimated cost: Around Rs 3 lakhs (BIT), around Rs 2 lakhs (BCA) and around Rs 4 lakhs (BCE) Eligibility · BIT -Students should be from Science and Management with Maths as major · BCA -Any stream · BCE -Science with Maths

    Kantipur College of Management and Information Technology (affiliated to Tribhuwan University) · Course: Bachelor's of Information Man agement (BIM) · Four years course · Estimated cost: Rs 3.3 lakh with one laptop free · Eligibility: Students from any stream who have passed +2 or A-Level
    source:Sharada Adhikari ,The HImalayan Times,16 feb 2011

    Young scientists showcase talent

    A bunch of young scientists brought science in action through their innovative science projects at the ‘Himalayan Science Fair 2011’ on Monday. The two-day nationwide fair, which began Sunday on the premises of Himalayan WhiteHouse College, New Baneshwor, was organized by Himalayan Club de Scientia (HICSI), a science club of the Himalayan WhiteHouse International College.

    The fair brought together more than 300 students from 15 different colleges in Kathmandu valley and one college and a school from outside Kathmandu to showcase their talents.On display were 42 different science projects on robotics, mechanics, chemistry, biology and climate change.
    The participants vied with each other to get the first, second and the third position. A panel of judges, along with SMS voting, chose the winners.

    Valley Top English Boarding School from Dang grabbed the first position with a cash prize of Rs 25,000. Showcasing on behalf of the school were Marshal Rokka and Subham Singh, both tenth graders. The duo exhibited various electronic projects such as obstacle detector for the blind, walkie-talkie, mobile-operated switch and clap-operated switch. 

    “Subham and I have been working together on these projects for about three years,” said pleasantly surprised Rokka, adding, “I’m so glad that we have won the contest.”“Though we hail from Dang where required electronic components aren’t easily available, we worked hard and used scrap components for our projects and we managed to win today,” said his cohort, Singh, delightedly.

    Mobile Remote Circuit of Saurya International College secured the second position with the cash prize of Rs 15,000 while the Automatic Counting Machine of Himalayan WhiteHouse International College stood third to win a cash prize of Rs 10,000. The counting machine also counted the number of visitors at the fair.
    Rkees Hill Train, Line Tracking Robot, Air Car, Spy Robot, Trolley Bus, Hydraulic Crane, Wind Turbine, Light Pollution, Save the Kathmandu, Save the Himalayas, Automatic Vending Machine and Counting Machine were the major attractions of the fair.

    “The students from different colleges enthusiastically participated in the fair with their interesting science projects,” said Mukul Dhakal, program coordinator, Himalayan Science Fair and a twelfth grader, adding, “The visitors also got to see how science and technology can be applied in homes, society and nation as a whole.”

    Mukul hailed the exhibition as helping to encourage pragmatic approach to science education and said his club had been working relentlessly on the project for more than five months and was a dream come true.
    The one-hundred-something stalls set up at the fair featured science projects, food and informative stuffs. Lions Club of Kavre, Sankhu and Lions Club of Kathmandu, Sangam jointly organized a blood donation program at the fair while Kantipur Dental College provided dental services to the visitors for free through their free dental clinic.

    Rijan Karki, 19, a twelfth grader at Nobel College, who presented his hypothesis on isolated system at NASA, USA, also presented his hypothesis at the fair.
    “I have already presented my hypothesis at the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University and TU,” Rijan said, adding, “I feel great to present my hypothesis at this fair too.”
    “I think science fairs should be organized regularly so that students can get a platform to expose their talents” he said, adding that Nepal could do wonders if talented people are encouraged.

    Dr Cathy Cavanaugh, professor of education technology at University of Florida, USA and a judge of the HSF 2011, gave a presentation on ‘How and where to teach and learn science’.

    “Science fairs like this bring positive attention on science education and also help students who don’t have opportunities to showcase their talents,” said Dr Cathy, adding, “Science fairs bring in people with similar interest in science together and also help students in career planning in science.”

    Kushal KC, another young scientist, gave a presentation on how he developed his Air Car. A documentary on how he developed the solar car when he was barely a tenth grader was also screened.
    Various seminars, computer gaming competition, cultural programs and raffles were other attractions at the fair.

    source:republica

    Society dull sans women education: President

    President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has said that the government bodies should be active to increase the women literacy rate in the country.
    He said the society will not remain dynamic only by the literate males.

    President Yadav made such remarks while receiving a memorandum submitted by the representatives of the Women Skills Development Center at the President´s residence Shital Niwas Tuesday morning.
    The President stressed to expand the ´Education Campaign for Housewives´, initiated by the Center in 25 different districts, across the country.

    Chairwoman of the Center Rita Khanal submitted an 11-point memorandum by demanding to give a national recognition of the education campaign for housewives, priority to the women education and others.
    The Center is scheduled to submit the memorandum to Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala and other parties´ leaders.

    source:republcia

    Political economy of education budget

    "The punishment for the wise who refuse to take part in politics is to be governed by the fools.”

    This is an adage proven several times in the context of Nepal, sans being contested. We have been governed by the fools for centuries. Only the difference is that they keep on changing.The latest instance is the decision made by major political parties on finalizing the annual budget for the fiscal year 2010-11. They formed a four-member committee comprising former finance ministers Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, and former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey.

    The parties, save the Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist (UCPN M), basked in presenting the supplementary budget for the current fiscal year. They have mistaken it as their triumph over the Maoists as it ended a political impasse. This is a misapprehension. They ‘might’ have won the battle but lost the war.
    The entire nation welcomed the move of the parties as it gave respite to the stagnating national economy. But quite a few people must been aware of the fact that in the name of reaching a consensus and removing difficulties, the parties have made a blunder.

    Former Minister Pandey in the original budget had earmarked money for making the education of grades nine and ten of the public schools free by providing scholarships to all students, boys and girls alike. While presenting the supplementary budget, he said that he had made budgetary arrangements to make grades nine and ten free.

    Free education has always remained a vexed question in the context of Nepal.
    But the parties put a full stop on overall development initiatives by preventing Pandey from introducing double-barreled programs. It has cost the nation dearly and the loss would be irreparable.
    Adhikari and Pandey should be given the benefit of the doubt. Bhattarai and Mahat are the names to conjure with in Nepali politics yet they lack the courage of convictions. Hence, they should be held more responsible for this blunder.

    Bhattarai and Mahat might have thought that with that step Pandey and his party Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist and Leninist (CPN-UML) would gain a new political height and tower over their personality. Unfortunately, this step has reduced them to a mere political cadre.Bhattarai represents a revolutionary party. As a finance minister he had earned name for raising an unexpected amount of revenue and making grade eight free. He untiringly talks of holding the state accountable to providing, protecting and fulfilling the basic rights of the people.

    Mahat considers himself a champion of democracy. His party Nepali Congress (NC) is known for its fight for democracy and being the custodian of civil rights.Moreover, the NC was one of the coalition partners of the UML-led government and it could stake claim on the credit of the plan.
    Unfortunately, being aware of the butterfly effects of aborting the plan, they could not rise to the occasion. The cancellation of the plan would result in a ‘lost generation’ as a huge number of students from marginalized communities of public schools particularly in the remote areas would drop-out.
    This will be an irreparable loss to the drop-outs, their families and to the nation in the longer term as they would be economically and socially poorer and weaker. Despite the gross violation of their rights, their overall poverty will breed a poorer generation.History will record the idiocy of the stakeholder political parties and people will not forgive them as it will be proven a deplorable action in the long run.

    The economic pundits may deny it. Uriah Heeps, intellectual dwarfs and political Lilliputians would join them. They will resort to constitutional provisions stating that the constitution bars a caretaker government from introducing any new program, and to abide by the rule of law is their duty. It is but a semblance.
    In fact, prevention of new programs is unlawful as it contravenes the constitutional provision that enshrines the right to education as a fundamental right. Barring quite a few media, no one opposed the mala fide move of the parties.
    They are aware that the popular movement of 2006 overthrew the 244-year-old monarchy and introduced a republican polity. The movement and the ensuing political change were not allowed by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990.Therefore, preventing the introduction of new programs in the budget on such a pretext is merely a ploy.

    The Constitution has been amended eight times due to their folly, incompetence and imprudence, and to secure the job of 601 Constituent Assembly members rather than writing the constitution itself.
    Political leaders who untiringly make commitments to delivering the good to the people have cheated the poor children who are and would be deprived of completing even school education. It is a regressive step in many ways.

    Besides the national commitments, Nepal has made education-related two major international commitments: Education For All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They bind the government to provide education to all including adults by 2015.

    According to Nepal Human Development Report 2009, the literacy rates of female is just 54.4 and of male 81.0 percent. The percentage of female and male having secondary school or higher education are 29.3 and 53.5 respectively.

    The situation of the Tarai dalit is the worst. Their female and male literacy rates are 17.2 and 48.5 percent respectively. Only 5.2 percent female and 19.2 percent male have attained the secondary school or higher education.

    Even if we believe the blatantly inflated government data, the percent of the school-going children is 94.6 and the government does not have data on the hardest to reach group of children. This defeats the goal of providing education to all – each individual – be it literacy or basic education.

    Nepal cannot achieve the EFA and MDGs related to education by 2015. The out-of-school children from marginalized groups like dalit, children with disabilities, religious and ethnic minorities, conflict victims and HIV and AIDS-infected and -affected are the hardest to reach. Among them girls are the most disadvantaged.

    The government is not serious to providing education to those children as it has been extending a token support to the children with disabilities, religious and ethnic minorities and dalit and it has no plans and policies for the HIV and AIDS-infected and -affected children.

    One of the major causes of drop-out is unequal and unjust distribution of scholarship boys and girls. Except for the girl students of Karnali zone only 50 percent of girls of public schools receive scholarship.
    In order to stem drop-out, Minister Pandey had planned to distribute scholarship to the students of public schools irrespective of gender. And it would to a greater extent be effective in reducing the number of drop-out children.

    The ground realities show that still a considerable number of children from the remote areas of Nepal drop-out due to their parents’ inability to provide them with stationery and clothes. And girl children top the list of such drop-outs.

    Moreover, drop-out continues in higher class as well. According to a government data, only 15 percent of the students enrolled in grade one pass out School Leaving Certificate exam. The drop-out rate in grades nine and ten is 7 percent.

    Although the education sector absorbs the biggest chunk of the national budget of Nepal, it has always been a shortfall to give continuity to the ongoing programs and to introduce new ones. On top of that previous budgets have ignored the inflationary aspect.

    The international benchmark for education budget is 20 percent of the national budget and 6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). The education budgets have never met those requirements. This year’s education budget is 57.65 billion rupees which is 17.1 percent of the total budget and 4.87 percent of the GDP.

    Despite receiving the greatest amount, it has remained inadequate for decades as 88.2 percent of the education budget goes to the salary of teachers. What do you do with the remaining 11.8 percent? This scribe may appear a Jeremiah, but it is a bitter truth.

    Allocation of 17.1 percent and an increment of 24.5 percent compared to the education budget of the previous year are meaningless in the face of reconstruction of school building demolished during the decade-long armed conflict and to meet the requirement of increasing student number, spiraling double digit inflation, and stagnating economy.
    It is an open-and-shut case that the poor children would be prevented from an opportunity to complete high school education. For the political leaders who shamelessly keep on talking about changing the face of Nepal, the only way of absolving of the guilt is retroactively introduce the plan of Minister Pandey.

    by:RAM SHARAN SEDHAI , Republica
    ramsharan.sedhai@gmail.com



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