Kathamandu - This week media discussed on the increased control over Universities by the state as reported by former-VCs of TU. The news also connoted beginning of medical students and parent’s struggle against medical collages taking extra fees through official procedure. This week initiatives at local government to digitize teachers’ attendance to ensure punctuality and regular attendance, getting traction and popularity among other municipalities also got reported. Campaign lead by KU students to make KU a federal University also was reported this week. 

 

Abbreviations: MoEST- Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, TU- Tribhuwan University, IOM- Institute of Medicine, TUSC-TU Service Commission, KD-Kantipur Daily, THT-  The Himalayan Times, PM- Prime Minister, CTEVT-Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training, KMC- Kathmandu Metropolitan City, SMC- School Management Committee, VC- Vice Chancellor

- Six former vice-chancellors of Tribhuvan University have requested the government not to endorse the Higher Education Bill tabled at the House of Representatives. Former vice-chancellors Mahesh Kumar Upadhayay, KedarBhaktaMathema, Kamal Krishna Joshi, Nabin Jung Shahi, HariBahadurMaharjan and TirthaKhaniya, were quoted at a press meet stating  the bill had provided ample space for political parties to influence educational institutes. “The bill has clearly exposed the interest of the government to control the high education system, which cannot be accepted,” read release. The vice-chancellors were particularly against the clause in the bill, which states that 25 per cent senate members of any university can remove vice-chancellor if they are not satisfied with the VC’s work.

- An opinion article titled ‘Private schools public questions’ discussed about the need to consider what is happening in private school and its impact in the society. The writer further stated education is the chief defense of a nation. As it heralds prosperity and success, every nation gives utmost priority to it the writer stated adding Japan’s first government after World War II had earmarked 49 per cent of its budget for education. The contribution of private schools in reducing the government’s burden ought to be thanked stated the writer adding the advent of certain changes - especially, raising the efficiency of the English language among the students - should not be undermined. Private education is not synonymous with quality education, but an ineffective public education system has sent the wrong message to the people. Private education has brought about serious, sometimes evidently sinful, degradation of our indigenous culture. Poor education costs a nation more than lack of education stated the writer alerting the impact of schooling at present state.

 

- A story reported that Nepalgunj and National Medical College continue to take extra fees from parents. The government instructed the parents to not pay additional fees but failed to regulate the colleges stated the report. The report stated that the colleges have defied the instructions of the Medical Education Council and used temptation, fear and threats to students and parents forcing them to sign documents agreeing to pay additional fees. The parents have already lodged complain against the college administration to the Medical Education Council and Kathmandu University. In response Medical Education Council had called Kathmandu Medical College for clarification and is preparing to call on Nobel Medical College. The report highlighted that investigation is ongoing for Nepalgunj Medical College as well. The college operators will be asked to respond in written and in verbal justification in person. The report also stated that in absence of justifiable response, the council will take appropriate action against the college.

 

- Kamalamai Municipality has 103 public schools of which 31 has installed digital attendance machine, as it has improved the timely arrival and regularity of teachers the report stated. Multiple other municipalities were also listed in the report that had adopted this system, for its urgent impact in punctuality and regularity of teachers.

 

- Campaign to make KU a federal university was launched this week. Lead by student and in suport of the teachers, the campaign has collected 2000 signatures. The recent bill produced with recommendation for transformation of higher education was silent about KU.

 

The protest was held in Kamalamai Rural Municipality's Secondary School claiming irregularities by the SMC in removal of the present principal outside legal procedures to appoint a principal on will. A news report titled ‘the brave act of sending girl child to school’ stated that 40 years back, parents had to take social consequences for sending girl child to school.

 

'Education this Week' is a joint effort put to analyze the press coverage of education in Nepal’s selected print media published in Kathmandu. The main aim of this effort is to identify and explain major education issues picked up by the media and give back and foreground of the news.This, we believe, will help policy makers and other responsible people to keep abreast with ongoing concerns and discussions on and around education. EduKhabar, in collaboration with the Center for Educational Policies and Practices (CEPP) , has produced this analysis based on the news printed in Kantipur (Nepali) and The Himalayan Times (English), Dailies andHimal Weekly(Nepali) betweenFeb 5-11, 2020(Magh 22-28, 2076)- Editor.

 

Read this analysis in Nepali : दृढ रूपमा कार्य गर्न सरकार असफल

 

Read last week’s analysis : Federal government against the spirit of Federalism

 

All analysis read by this link : Education This week