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Education System in Nepal: Structure, Challenges and Solutions

Article 12 Feb 2023 19819 0

Education is a critical aspect of human development and progress, and it is no different in the case of Nepal. With a rich history and cultural heritage, Nepal is a fascinating country with a diverse population. The education system in Nepal has undergone significant changes and developments over the years, and this article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the current state of education in Nepal.

Overview of the Education System in Nepal:

The education system in Nepal is governed by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, and it is structured into primary, secondary, and higher education. The education system in Nepal is free and compulsory for children aged 5 to 16 years. The Nepalese government has made significant efforts to improve access to education, particularly in rural and remote areas, and the results have been encouraging.

Historical Background and Evolution of Education in Nepal:

The history of education in Nepal can be traced back to ancient times when the Gurukula system was prevalent. This traditional system of education was based on apprenticeship, where students would live with their teachers and learn various subjects, including religion, philosophy, and practical skills. As Nepal opened to the influence of other countries, including Britain, the education system underwent significant changes, and modern schools were introduced. As the country has maintained its sovereignty throughout history.

During the Rana dynasty (1846-1951), the education system in Nepal was confined to the ruling class, and the majority of the population was illiterate. It wasn't until the 1950s, after the fall of the Rana dynasty and the introduction of democratic governance, that the education system in Nepal began to expand. During this period, the Nepalese government made efforts to improve access to education and to provide education to all sections of the population. The education system in Nepal was further expanded in the 1960s when the government introduced a policy of compulsory education, making primary education free and compulsory for all children.

Over the next few decades, the education system in Nepal continued to evolve and expand. In the 1980s, the government introduced a policy of extending free education to the secondary level, and in the 1990s, the government established a number of universities, which helped to expand access to higher education in Nepal.

Structure of the Education System in Nepal:

Primary Education: Primary education in Nepal is mandatory for children aged 5 to 11 years, and it lasts for six years. The primary education curriculum covers subjects such as Nepali, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Secondary Education: Secondary education in Nepal lasts for five years and is divided into two stages, lower secondary and upper secondary. The lower secondary stage lasts for three years, while the upper secondary stage lasts for two years. The curriculum at the secondary level includes subjects such as Nepali, mathematics, science, and social studies, as well as elective subjects such as arts, music, and physical education.

Higher Education: Higher education in Nepal includes colleges and universities, and it is optional for students who have completed their secondary education. The higher education system in Nepal offers a wide range of programs, including bachelor's degrees in arts, science, and commerce, as well as master's and PhD programs.

Current State of Education in Nepal:

The current state of education in Nepal is a mixed picture, with both positive developments and ongoing challenges. On the one hand, there has been significant progress in increasing access to education and improving the quality of education in Nepal in recent years. On the other hand, there are still significant disparities in access to education and in the quality of education, particularly in rural areas and for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Enrollment and Literacy Rates: The enrollment rate in primary education in Nepal has increased in recent years, reaching 85% in 2019, according to the World Bank. Additionally, the literacy rate in Nepal has increased from 65% in 2015 to 72% in 2019.
• Access to Education: The Nepalese government has made significant efforts to increase access to education, particularly in rural areas. Programs such as the Community Schools Program have successfully enrolled over 50,000 students from underprivileged backgrounds.
• Quality of Education: Despite progress in increasing access to education, the quality of education remains a concern. Many schools lack basic infrastructure and qualified teachers, and the quality of education received by students in rural areas is often lower than that received by urban students.
• Teacher Training and Availability: The Nepalese government has made efforts to improve teacher training and increase the availability of qualified teachers, particularly in rural areas. However, there is still a shortage of qualified teachers in many areas, and many teachers remain inadequately trained.
• Gender Disparities: Despite progress in increasing access to education for girls in Nepal, significant disparities remain. Girls are still less likely to attend school and to complete their education than boys, particularly in rural areas.

Challenges Faced by the Education System in Nepal:

Despite the progress made in recent years, the education system in Nepal still faces several challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of resources, particularly in rural and remote areas, where infrastructure and facilities are limited. Another challenge is the quality of education, which is often poor, and teacher training and development are also lacking. Furthermore, there are significant disparities in access to education between urban and rural areas, and between different socio-economic groups.

Some of the major challenges facing the education system in Nepal include:

• Low Enrollment and Attendance Rates: Despite the introduction of compulsory education, many children in Nepal, especially in rural areas, do not attend school. According to the latest data from the World Bank, the net enrollment rate in primary education in Nepal was only 85% in 2019. Additionally, many children who do enroll in school drop out before completing their education.
• Poor Quality of Education: The quality of education in Nepal remains a major concern. Many schools lack basic infrastructure, such as toilets and drinking water facilities, and the teacher-student ratio is often high, leading to overcrowded classrooms and inadequate attention for individual students. Additionally, many teachers in Nepal are poorly trained, and there is a shortage of qualified teachers in many rural areas.
• Lack of Resources: The Nepalese government faces significant challenges in providing sufficient resources for the education system. The government budget allocation for education remains low, and many schools lack adequate funding for basic supplies and infrastructure. This has a negative impact on the quality of education and student outcomes.
• Inequality: Despite the government's efforts to provide education to all sections of the population, significant disparities remain in access to education and in the quality of education. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those from low-income families and from rural areas, face significant barriers to accessing education, and the quality of education they receive is often lower than that of their urban peers.
• Political Instability: Political instability and frequent changes in government have had a negative impact on the education system in Nepal. This has led to a lack of consistency in policy and has hindered the government's ability to effectively implement reforms and initiatives aimed at improving the education system.

Government Initiatives and Policies to Improve the Education System:

The Nepalese government has taken various initiatives and implemented policies to improve the education system in Nepal. One of the most successful government-led initiatives is the Community Schools Program, which has enrolled over 50,000 students from underprivileged backgrounds. The program provides free education, as well as other resources such as textbooks, uniforms, and meals to students in rural areas where access to education is limited. The program has been instrumental in increasing enrollment and reducing dropout rates, and it serves as a model for other initiatives aimed at improving access to education in Nepal.

Another initiative that has been introduced in recent years is the implementation of digital classrooms in some schools in Nepal. This has not only improved the quality of education by providing students with access to digital resources and educational technology, but it has also helped to reduce the burden on teachers, who are now able to use digital tools to enhance their teaching methods.

Despite these efforts, the education system in Nepal still faces a number of challenges. One of the major challenges is the shortage of trained and qualified teachers. Many schools in rural areas lack trained teachers, which leads to low-quality education and high dropout rates. In addition, the lack of adequate infrastructure and facilities in many schools is another challenge, as this makes it difficult for students to receive a proper education.

Another challenge facing the education system in Nepal is the lack of funding and resources. The government has limited resources to invest in education, and this has resulted in a lack of investment in infrastructure, teacher training, and other resources necessary to provide quality education to students. As a result, many schools in Nepal are under-resourced and are unable to provide students with the education they need to succeed.

Despite these challenges, the future prospects for the education system in Nepal are positive. The Nepalese government has demonstrated a commitment to improving the education system, and it has taken a number of important steps towards achieving this goal. Additionally, international organizations and non-governmental organizations have been providing support and resources to help the Nepalese government achieve its goals.

Recommendations

Given the challenges faced by the education system in Nepal, it is clear that a comprehensive approach is needed to address these issues and improve the quality of education in Nepal. Improving the education system in Nepal requires a multi-faceted approach, encompassing investment in education, teacher training and support, promoting gender equality, improving the quality of education, and encouraging private sector involvement. With the right investments and policies, it is possible to build a strong and effective education system in Nepal that will provide all children with access to quality education.

Here are a few recommendations that could help to achieve this goal:

• Increase investment in education: The Nepalese government should increase investment in the education sector, to provide better infrastructure, teacher training and support, and educational materials for students. This will improve the quality of education and increase access to education for all children, especially those in rural areas.
• Address teacher shortages: The Nepalese government should take steps to address the shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in rural areas, by providing teacher training and support programs and increasing incentives for teachers to work in rural areas.
• Promote gender equality: The Nepalese government should take steps to promote gender equality in education, by providing girls with equal access to education and by addressing the social and cultural barriers that prevent girls from attending school and completing their education.
• Improve quality of education: The Nepalese government should work to improve the quality of education by implementing national curriculum standards, ensuring that all schools have adequate resources and infrastructure, and providing regular teacher training and support programs.
• Emphasize early childhood education: The Nepalese government should place a strong emphasis on early childhood education, to provide children with the foundation they need for future academic success and to help break the cycle of poverty.
• Encourage private sector involvement: The Nepalese government should encourage private sector involvement in the education sector, through public-private partnerships and other initiatives, to help provide additional resources and support for education in Nepal.

In conclusion, the education system in Nepal has come a long way since its inception, and it has made significant progress in recent years. However, it still faces a number of challenges, including a shortage of trained teachers, lack of adequate infrastructure and facilities, and lack of funding and resources. The Nepalese government and international organizations have demonstrated a commitment to improving the education system, and with the right resources and support, the future prospects for education in Nepal are bright.

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• v.7(9); 2021 Sep

Education system of Nepal: impacts and future perspectives of COVID-19 pandemic

Khadka bahadur pal.

a Department of Chemistry, Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

Buddha Bahadur Basnet

b Faculty of Sciences, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal

Ramesh Raj Pant

c Central Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Kiran Bishwakarma

d Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

e University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Kopila Kafle

Namraj dhami.

f Pokhara University, Pokhara 30, Gandaki 33700, Nepal

Motee Lal Sharma

g Central Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Lal B. Thapa

h Central Department of Botany, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Binod Bhattarai

i University Grants Commission, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Youb Raj Bhatta

Associated data.

All data are available described in the article.

The academic sectors are badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic globally. The studies regarding the implications of COVID-19 in education in Nepal were minimal, thus, this paper aims to highlight the impacts of the pandemic on the education sector of Nepal. It is revealed that the Nepalese academia has been facing problems due to lack of adequate and appropriate sustainable infrastructure for the online system, including skilled human resources. In addition, limited internet facilities in remote and rural areas were the other challenging tasks for virtual academic activities. Therefore, the concerned stakeholders should provide necessary services and appropriate strategies for virtual means of the education system to compensate the repercussion caused by the pandemic. This study could be helpful to identify the critical needs emerged due to the pandemic at present and in future and also contribute to adopt appropriate policy for the revival of educational institutions.

COVID-19; Pandemic; Virtual education; Online education, Nepal.

1. Introduction

The year 2020 was started with the terror of the COVID-19 and witnessed the indelible imprints of the pandemic on the global community ( WHO, 2020 ). The global health emergency due to COVID-19 was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 30 th January 2020. Subsequently, it was declared a pandemic after more than 118,000 infected population by COVID-19 from 114 countries with 4,291 deaths up to 11 th March 2020. Globally, up to 6 th August 2021, there have been over 200 million confirmed cases, including the deaths over 42 million ( WHO, 2021 ).

WHO recommended the countries across the world to take precautionary measures to break the transmission chain of the coronavirus ( Barkur and Vibha Kamath, 2020 ). Among the different prevention strategies, the lockdown was considered as one of the best approaches for interrupting transmission, which was widely adopted by the global community ( Flaxman et al., 2020 ). Therefore, many of the countries in the world imposed lockdown throughout the national and regional levels. In the same line, the Government of Nepal (GoN) also announced the first lockdown on 24 th March 2020 and continued for about six months ( Basnet et al., 2021a , 2021b ). Besides the lockdown, effective tracking, tracing, quarantine, social distancing, and hygienic behaviours of some countries such as China controlled the disease spread successfully ( Basnet et al., 2021c ). However, the lockdown has not been sufficient in many countries ( Zhu et al., 2020 ).

The lockdown imposed noxious impacts affecting the psycho-sociological and livelihoods of people. On one side, the new cases of the virus around the globe are increasing and on the other side, the commencement of lockdown has affected a more significant number of sectors, including academia ( Dawadi et al., 2020 ). Importantly, the academia victimized severely from the lockdowns owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most academic institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities remained closed during the lockdown period. Still, the academic activities have not been resumed fully as usual with face-to-face instructions.

The pandemic challenges in the education systems have been the greatest ever faced by the world community ( Azzi-Huck and Shmis, 2020 ). According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the closures of academic institutions have impacted more than 1.5 billion students and youth across the globe directly/indirectly ( UNESCO, 2020 ). The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, creating the need for new actions from society, including universities and academia ( Alvarez-Risco et al., 2021 ). Cease of the physical presence of students and teachers in the classroom for teaching and learning have switched the academic institutions to online teaching and virtual education. The educational institutions faced an economic crisis due to less number enrollment of students, delay in fee collection, and the management of alternate methods for teaching and learning. The institutions tried to adopt the alternate methods for teaching and learning such as online or virtual methods which are not likely to provide the quality of education as delivered in the classroom ( Panthee et al., 2020 ; Viner et al., 2020 ). Such challenges of the COVID-19 to the education sector especially in the developing countries like Nepal are the severer than the developed countries as the former countries have limited facilities of online systems (e.g., internet, devices, and skilled human resources) ( Poudel and Subedi, 2020 ). In the case of Nepal, the academic institutions remained closed for a long time during the lockdown, and some of them started to manage alternate ways of teaching with the prolongation of lockdown. The government institutions were affected mainly in two ways: firstly, they were turned into quarantine stations, and secondly, there were limited facilities including internet access, computer devices, and a skilled workforce. After the lockdown, the government of Nepal has given authority to the local governments to decide on resuming the academic institutions as usual, and many of the institutions are partially or fully reopened, but the health experts have warned that this decision has increased the risk of the virus transmission ( Poudel and Subedi, 2020 ).

The number of darks sides of the COVID-19 pandemic has given opportunities to the researchers to explore new avenues of cure and treatments and other several facts related to the disease. Many of the researchers have engaged in analyzing the consequences of this pandemic, focusing on different sectors such as environment, agriculture, business, tourism, economy, and education, etc ( Pant et al., 2021 ; Azzi-Huck and Shmis, 2020 ; Barkur and Vibha Kamath, 2020 ; Flaxman et al., 2020 ; IAU, 2020 ). Such analysis, findings, and recommendations have contributed to the nations making policies and strategies to combat future pandemics. However, it has been felt that the studies regarding the implications of COVID-19 in the education sector are minimal. In the context of Nepal, the publications related to the facts are almost naught. Thus, this paper aims to highlight the impacts of COVID-19 on the education sector of Nepal.

This study is based on both primary and secondary data. The electronic databases through Google Scholar, Science Direct, and published reports of national and international organizations were the secondary sources of information on COVID-19. A manual search was conducted to search related articles to gather relevant literature ( Kapasia et al., 2020 ). A survey was also conducted by preparing a short questionnaire (open-ended) to collect primary data. The questionnaire was formatted to collect information on the impacts of COVID-19 in academic institutions. Altogether 35 academic institution heads [10 government schools, 10 private boarding schools, 5 Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) institutions, 5 university constituent campuses, and 5 university-affiliated campuses] were requested to respond to the questionnaire. Authorities of the Federal GoN, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, provincial and local governments, and universities were consulted as the key informants. The questionnaire was validated with the help of a review by two experts from medical sciences and two experts from the education sector in Nepal. In addition, before the review, the questionnaire was subjected to purposive sampling of 10 respondents from the Kathmandu valley for the pilot test.

3. Education system in Nepal

In Nepal, the school-level education comprises the primary level (1–8) and secondary level (9–12). There are a total of 35,055 schools in Nepal, of which 27,728 are public schools (community schools), 6,206 private schools, and 1,121 religious schools (Muslim religious schools, Gumbas/Vihar , and Hindu A shrams schools) ( DoE 2018 , Figure 1 ). Thus, there are 7,214,525 students enrolled in school level (grade 1–12) in the year 2018/19. Out of the total enrolment, 77% of students are at the primary level and 23% at the secondary level. Meanwhile, 4,124,478; 1,368,620; and 62,281 students were enrolled in public, private, and religious schools at the primary level, respectively. Similarly, 1,152,674; 294,732; and 610 students were enrolled in public, private, and religious schools at the secondary level, respectively ( DoE 2018 ).

Students enrollment in public, private and religious schools in Nepal ( DoE 2018 ).

The education imparted after the secondary level is considered higher education (tertiary education) in Nepal. According to a report of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Nepal, there are 11 universities and six autonomous medical academies that offer higher education in Nepal ( UGC, 2020 , Table 1 ). Higher education is offered at the universities, of which the Tribhuvan University (TU) is the oldest and largest one. The universities in Nepal currently provide courses on sciences and technology; education; management; social sciences and humanities; law; engineering; forestry; medicine; agriculture and animal sciences; Ayurved; Sanskrit, etc. These academic programs run based on annual and semester systems at bachelor, master, MPhil, and PhD levels. Depending upon the nature of the courses, the time duration allocated to accomplish the programs varies with universities. For example, the bachelors, masters, MPhil, and PhD courses require 3–4, 2, 1.5, and 3 years, respectively, in most of the academic institutions in Nepal. The academic, research, and administrative activities are governed by the rules and regulations of the concerned institutions.

Table 1

Status of students and Universities in Nepal (2017) ( UGC, 2020 ).

Under the umbrella of Higher education in Nepal, 1,425 campuses and 423,996 students enrolled in different academic programs ( UGC, 2020 ). According to the office of planning directorate (TU), it has 1,124 campuses (62 constituents and 1,062 affiliated campuses). Open and distance learning programs have been adopted by the National Open University (NOU). The NOU programs are designed for e-based learning for interested students. The relevance and need for such open and distance learning programs markedly increased under the context of pandemic situations. Regarding the enrollment percentage, the TU has the highest i.e., 79.04 % while Pokhara University, Purbanchal University, and Kathmandu University have the enrollment 6.94 %, 6.16 %, and 4.23% students, respectively ( UGC, 2020 ). Among the enrolled students, 78.6% and 21.4% were enrolled in general and technical programs, respectively. The students in management; education; and humanities and social sciences were 46.78%, 17.88%, and 13.20%, respectively. There are 7.11% of students in science and technology, and only 6.08% and 6.55% of students are in medicine and engineering, respectively ( Figure 2 ).

Current scenario of students distributions in different faculties at higher education level ( UGC, 2020 ).

The provincial-level distribution of students in tertiary education revealed that >50% of students are concentrated in the Bagmati Province only while the least number of students (3.31%) are studying in the Karnali Province. The dominancy order of number of students is Bagmati Province > Lumbini Province > Province no. 1 > Gandaki Province > Province no. 2 > Sudurpaschim Province > Province no. 1 > Karnali Province ( Figure 3 ). The share of student enrollment in the community campuses is 30.29%, whereas constituent campuses and private campuses have received 32.41% and 37.30%, respectively ( UGC, 2020 ). The data shows that private campuses have relatively higher number of students enrolled in Nepal.

Provincial status of students at higher education level ( UGC, 2020 ).

Regarding the academic institutions' student evaluation and monitoring system, schools and universities have different provisions in Nepal. There is an annual examination system with midterm and internal evaluations for the basic level students under the direct supervision of respective schools and local governments. Furthermore, students are evaluated by annual examinations for the school level, including internal and midterm evaluations by the respective schools and the local government. However, the final examination of grade XII is provisioned to be examined by the National Education Board (NEB). In tertiary education, both the internal evaluations and final examinations are held at the end of each semester or year. Tribhuvan University has reintroduced the semester systems from 2012 onwards, and students are evaluated internally (40%) by the respective campuses/departments and externally (60%) by the concerned office of the dean under the Office of the Controller of the Examinations ( TU, 2012 ). The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) has adopted semester systems from the beginning of all programs ( DoE, 2018 ). Notably, most of the school and tertiary level examinations are held in a conventional system with physical presence and there was no application of virtual means of teaching and learning.

4. Appraisal of COVID-19 impacts in Nepalese education system

Regarding the recent gloom and doom scenario created by the COVID-19 pandemic in academia, many countries have tried to adopt various virtual media for learning and teaching activities. The COVID-19 lockdown was implemented at the end of the academic session (March, 2020), which directly hindered both school and university academic calendars in Nepal. The nationwide lockdown immediately impacted the pre-scheduled examinations of the grade 10 to 12. In addition, the scheduled semester examinations of many universities had been postponed. As the lockdown prolonged, almost all the academic activities, including examinations halted. It has directly affected the teaching-learning activities of nearly 8,796,624 students belonging to pre-primary (11%), primary (28%), secondary (39%), and tertiary (5%) levels nationwide, as estimated by UNESCO ( Dawadi et al., 2020 ). The questionnaire survey and key informant interviews in this study have highlighted the several aspects of impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on academia in Nepal.

The impacts of COVID-19 on academia has directly affected the students, teachers, and parents. The challenges and impacts of the pandemic highlighted by the respondents were cancellation of board exams, irregularity in learning and skills development, assessments, restriction to study abroad, disrupted the enrollment cycle, inequality in access to education, anxiety to start schools and universities, etc. In higher education, laboratory-based research and field works are greatly hindered. In addition, there may also be decreased funding to continue or undertake new research and innovative activities in the universities in Nepal ( Michael and Murphy, 2020 ).

The lockdown has reduced the enrollment of students and increased the risk of dropout rate. In addition, it has created the obligation for the academic institutions to switch on the virtual media to maintain the pre-announced academic calendars. A transition phase of the traditionaleducational system to the digital system appeared and the Nepalese academia started partially or fully digital system with prolongation of the lockdown. The academic institutions became engagged on transformations in policy formulation, infrastructure development, searching appropriate online methods of teaching, and conducting assessments. As there was a lack of proper planning and educational guidelines previously for online teaching and learning, most of the universities and schools could not run any online models of pedagogical approaches in the initial phase ( MWU, 2020 ).

A handful number of colleges and schools launched online classes in urban areas. The majority of the respondents highlighted that comparing to the physical classes, the online methods are relatively less effective due to more absenteeism and irregularities of the students. It has been estimated that only 9% of the total students from Nepal are getting online classes, and >90% of the students from rural and urban areas are still out of such virtual courses. Currently, 12% of schools and 56% of households have internet facilities, while 51% of students are using media such as radio and TV ( Dawadi et al., 2020 ). It shows that the remaining 44% of students are unlikely to regularly access online or other media, which could be one of the serious concerns for the policymakers of the academic sectors ( Marahatta et al., 2020 ).

Meanwhile, the greatly impacted sector by the COVID-19 pandemic is the research activities in higher education, according to the respondents. The research activities such as field researches had been postponed, and the laboratory research activities remained suspended by the universities. According to the informants, the numbers of chemical reagents and enzymes prepared for upcoming experiments basically in the laboratory based research were worthless due to the closer of the laboratories for an extended period. Master and PhD level dissertations were delayed, and the time-bound research grants and scholarships were cancelled. In such a situation, academia and the policymakers were in dilemmas to design a clear roadmap about the commencement of academic activities. Limited internet facilities, computer devices, and lack of skilled human resources hindered running virtual classes and other activities. It was a challenging to connect the studnets from the rural and remote areas of Nepal in the online classes. The virtual courses are even more challenging for those learners who are differently able students which is consistent around the globe ( Manzoor, 2020 ; Chalise and Dhungana, 2020 ). Notably, the closures of academic institutions have resulted in multi-faceted implications such as disrupting completion of the syllabus on time, the regular cycle of academic intakes, semester end examinations required for graduation.

Despite the pandemic situation, there were some positive impacts on academia at the same time. It had allowed reshaping the of pedagogical strategies and adapt to innovative e-learning techniques. Schools and universities decided to introduce a digital education system. Several platforms, such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Social Media including Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook, were given priority by the academia to run the academic activities online. For instance, with the help of Microsoft Teams, TU initiated its virtual academic activities with 500,000 users (teachers and students) ( TU, 2020 ). In the history of Nepalese academia, this was one of the most outstanding achievements for the paradigm shift of the conventional pedagogical approaches. The learners and education provider institutions used media such as television, radio networks, YouTube, and other social media. Interestingly, the literacy and expertise on computers, apps, and virtual platforms have improved at the grass-root level. The universities conducted training for teachers and students for the online system of joining in academic activities.

The schools and higher education institutions expanded ICT infrastructures to support ICT associated teaching/learning. Most of the institutions have also prepared their guideline for facilitating online classes and assessment systems under the direction of the GoN and the University Grants Commission (UGC). Academic institutions have also initiated collaborations with local to national media such as Radios, FMs, and TVs. The virtual media have significant positive impacts on providing educational content and lives call with teachers in support of students ( Hiltz and Wellman, 1997 ). As the cases of COVID-19 are still increasing globally, the public policies significantly, the academic policies should be revised and strictly follow with the epidemiological alerts ( Yáñez et al., 2020 ). Precisely, the COVID-19 situation compelled all the academic institutions and stakeholders for redesigning and reconsidering their teaching-learning and research approaches.

5. Future perspectives and conclusion

The schools and HEIs in Nepal have limited digital services, including electronic libraries, relevant online scientific publications, and other resources. The major challenge for the institutions was conducting assessments and exams online. In the context of Nepal, many children from low-income families and disadvantaged groups do not afford even the necessities of learning, such as textbooks, notebooks, and other required stationaries. Modern digital devices, including smartphones, iPad, iPods, laptops, computers, the internet, etc., are far from their expectations ( UNESCO and IESALC, 2020 ). On the other side, the people in the remote and rural areas are deprived of online access due to limited internet facilities. In this context, providing equal opportunity for virtual learning to all groups of people and all parts of the country has become challenging. Therefore, the federal, provincial, and local governments are urged to switch their strategies and programs towards modern virtual education systems. For this purpose, different programs for enhancing the capacities of human resources, students, institution authorities, management, and parents are recommended. It is essential to understand the behaviour of learners about online and face-to-face academic activities to ensure the best academic outcomes ( Alvarez-Risco et al., 2020b ).

Due to the lack of adequate and appropriate sustainable infrastructure in Nepalese academia for the online system, developing such infrastructure is indispensable. The infrastructures for virtual education (internet facilities and digital devices) should be affordable to institutions of remote and rural areas. Especially the poor and disadvantaged groups should be prioritized, clustered, and trained in low/no cost by the government. The international and national organizations anduniversity graduates could be mobilized as volunteers to teach in rural areas. The school education boards and universities should prioritize to revise their curricula including internship or community services for their students to share the knowledge and expertise to the needy people in rural and remote areas in Nepal. The institutions should consider adjustments in terms of accessibility, infrastructure, and equipment from a long term perspective.

Additionally, within traditional pedagogical approaches, the blended modes of education system could be implemented to improve the quality of education at an affordable cost with limited trained human resources. The activities such as homework assignments, open-book exams, home take exams, quizzes, or small projects can be considered as the options of conventional paper-based examinations. Moreover, some modes of communication such as chat channels and discussion groups in social media could also benefit to the learners. There is limited preparedness to cope with such pandemic in Nepal, thus, there must be cooperation and coordination among the different sectors to combat the impacts of COVID-19. There could be a multifactorial fight during the pandemic to increase health literacy, develop better detection tools, and enable action by local, provincial and federal governments ( Alvarez-Risco et al., 2020c ). Continuous awareness and sensitization about the risks of COVID-19 also play a vital role to reduce the havoc created by the pandemic ( Quispe-Cañari et al., 2021 ).

Overall, this study comprises the education system in Nepal and COVID-19 imprints in the school and university education in Nepal. Also, we have tried to highlight the pros and cons of the pandemic on academia during the lockdown and suggested the possible way forwards. In this context, the concerned stakeholders should provide necessary services and develop appropriate strategies for virtual means of the education system to compensate for the repercussion caused by COVID-19 lockdown. Sustainable solutions are essential to manage the crisis and build a resilient education system in the long run. Thus, the insights from this study could be helpful to cope with the problem due to the pandemic and contribute to adopting an appropriate policy for the revival of educational institutions. Also, the present work contributes to the necessary way forward to tackle the crisis in academia in Nepal in the future.

Declarations

Author contribution statement.

All authors listed have significantly contributed to the development and the writing of this article.

Funding statement

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency.

Data availability statement

Declaration of interests statement.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Not applicable.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), Department of Education (DoE), GoN and University Grants Commission (UGC), Nepal for supporting data in this research.

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Education system in Nepal – Research Essay

Introduction

In my research essay, I explore the education system in Nepal. I am already aware that the education system in Nepal was based on home schooling and Gurukula, but since they become a democracy in 1951, they have made many improvements. It is my intention to find out what those improvements are.

Methodology

My main methodology will include reading written research on the subject from local libraries, University libraries, and trusted online resources. I will also research and read records and websites relating to trusted statistics. They have school and higher education, where a student has to apply for higher education as people have to in other countries.

A student gets a school-leaving certificate for completing school and getting their education. Grades 11 and 12 are considered higher secondary education, for which a student gets a certificate for completing by the HSEB, which is the Higher Secondary Education Board.

If you opt for higher education, then you may earn your bachelor degree, masters and PhD in a Nepal college. There is also vocational education that starts in lower school and allows a person to work towards a trade and get a “Technical School leaving Certificate”. Research

The first school in Nepal was made only for elite learners and was opened in 1853. More have come about since democracy broke out in Nepal, and again in 1971 when the country built its education department and started allowing and funding schools in Nepal.

In 1971, there was a literacy rate of 5%. There were also a total of 10,000 students spread across 300 schools. Now much of the population receives some sort of education and the number of schools, big and small, is 49,000. The adult literacy rate has jumped from just 5% to 60.3%.

Nepal has done a good job to come so far in such as short space of time, but there is still a long way to go. Poverty and social exclusion are two very big restraints on people and their ability to get a good (or usable) education. There are also more males getting an education than females. There are 46.3% of females getting an education, whereas there are 73% of males getting an education. These are very good figures and show that the government in Nepal has been working towards improving the education system in Nepal. Conclusion

The education system in Nepal is not as bad as it was, but there are still massive holes in their education system. They really need to up the pace if they want to get anywhere near to the quality levels of many other countries.

There are clearly more opportunities for students in Nepal these days than there was, and they have certainly created a good structure on which to build a good education system, but it needs a lot of work. Too many people are excluded from school because of poverty or social exclusion, and females are not getting as good of an education than male students are (especially since fewer females attend school).

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Nepal’s Higher Education System and Policy

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• Hridaya Ratna Bajracharya 3  

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Development of modern higher education system in Nepal has crossed a century since it was started with the establishment of Tri- Chandra College in 1918 AD. Tribhuvan University the first university in the country was established in 1959, eight years after the historic political change in the country in 1951 that overthrew oligarchy and established parliamentary system. Rapid increase in the number of universities and colleges followed another major political change in 1990 that restored multiparty parliamentary system. University Grants Commission came into existence in 1993. Currently there are 15 autonomous degree awarding higher education institutions – 11 universities and 4 medical academies established by the government each with an independent act approved by the parliament. About 371,000 students are enrolled in 1408 university campuses (colleges). Most of the campuses in the country (1309) are independently established by private parties (777) or public communities (532) that run academic programs of the universities through affiliation; universities’ own constituent campuses are 99 only. An estimated number of over 65,000 students go abroad annually for higher education. Realizing the issues and challenges of improving equity and inclusiveness in access, efficiency, quality, and relevance of higher education, efforts were initiated through Higher Education Project (1997–2002), the Second Higher Education Project (2007–2014), and currently Higher Education Reform Project (2015–2020). Achieving academic culture, sustainability, and effectively responsive management are persistent challenges of higher education development in the country. Employability of graduates and accordingly professional studies that focus on skill competence and the world of work are now considered important aspects of higher education.

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Asian Development Bank. (2015). Innovative strategies in higher education for accelerated human resource development in South Asia: Nepal . Manila: The Author.

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Bajracharya, H. R. (2004). Higher education in Nepal: The issues and challenges. Tribhuan University Special Bulletin . Special 2071 , 48–60.

Bajracharya, H. R., Thapa, B. K., & Chitrakar, R. (1998). Trends, issues and policies of education in Nepal . Kathmandu: Tribhuvan University, Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Development.

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Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, High Level National Education Commission. (2019). Report of the high level National Education Commission . (Nepali language) Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Higher Level National Education Commission. (1998). Higher level national education commission report . (Nepali language) Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. (2015). Higher education policy 2071. (Nepali language) Government Document.

Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. (2017). Nepal education in figures, 2017 . Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, Ministry of Finance. (2018). The economic survey, fiscal year 2017/18 . Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, Population Division, New Era and ICF International. (2012). Nepal demographic and health survey 2011 . Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission. (2019). Fifteenth National Development Plan (2019–2024): Approach paper . (Nepali language) Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission, Central Bureau of Statistics. (2012). National population and housing census 2011: National report . Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, Royal Higher Education Commission. (1984). Royal Higher Education Commission report – 1984 . (Nepali language) Kathmandu: The Author.

Government of Nepal, National Education Commission. (1992). Report of the National Education Commission – 1992 . (Nepali language) Kathmandu: The Author.

MOE. (2017). Comprehensive TVET Annual Repor:2072/2073. (Compiled by CEVT, Research and Information Division) . Kathmandu: The Author.

NPC. (2019). 15th Plan Approach Paper 2019/20-2023/24 . Kathmandu: The Author.

Shakya, S. B. (1984). Establishing and development of Tribhuvan University 1955–1973 . Kathmandu: TU Research Division.

University Grants Commission, Nepal. (2010). Education management information system: Report on higher education 2009/2010 . Sanothimi, Bhaktapur: The Author.

University Grants Commission, Nepal. (2017). Education management information system: Report on higher education 2016/17 . Sanothimi, Bhaktapur: The Author.

University Grants Commission, Nepal. (2018). University Grants Commission Annual Report 2017/18 . Sanothimi, Bhaktapur: The Author.

World Bank. (2007). Project appraisal document on a grant in the amount of SDR 41.6 Million (US$60.0 Million Equivalent) to Nepal for a Second Higher Education project . Document of the World Bank: For Official Use Only.

World Bank. (2014). Implementation completion and result report: (IDA-Grant-H274-N) the Second Higher Education project . World Bank: For Official Use Only.

World Bank. (2015). Project appraisal document on a grant (US$65.0 Million Equivalent) to Nepal for a Higher Education Reform project . Document of the World Bank: For Official Use Only.

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Bajracharya, H.R. (2020). Nepal’s Higher Education System and Policy. In: Sarangapani, P., Pappu, R. (eds) Handbook of Education Systems in South Asia. Global Education Systems. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3309-5_63-1

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Education System in Nepal

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Education in Nepal from the primary school to the university level has been modeled from the very inception on the Indian system, which is in turn the legacy of the old British Raj. Hence, until the recent past, Nepal followed the traditional three-tier sixteen-year education system, allocating ten years to school education, four years to college level studies - two years each for intermediate and bachelor program, and two to the Masters program at the university.

During the 1950s and in the subsequent decades, Nepali students started facing comparative disadvantage in their academic and professional career advancement not to mention in the regional or international fields even in their home country. Therefore, in order to make the nepali education system more competitive and compatible, policy and structural changes were made and gradually implemented, although for the lack of funds and resources only at a snail's speed during the last three five year plan periods. As a result, the present education system although still in the transition phase, stands as follows:

(i) Pre-School Education The pre-school learning, be it kindergarten, Montessori or any other form of pre-school education, does not yet form an integral part of the formal school education system. Nevertheless, the need for such facility is being increasingly felt by the society. And, a number of pre-school establishments have come into existence in response to the demand particularly among the affluent, the educated and the working parents in the urban areas. These facilities range from simple day-care centers operated by semi skilled tutors and ayahs to sophisticated but informal playgroups run by trained teachers and nurses, and from formal pro-primary schools managed as junior wings of large school set-ups to advanced westernized kindergarten and Montessori pre-school establishments. Very different in their fees and infrastructure, they profess equally diverse professional objectives and educational goals, and practice divergent approaches to early education. His Majesty's Government of Nepal has recently formulated some guidelines for pre-primary curricula.

(ii) School Education (a) Primary Level (b) Middle School/Lower Secondary Level (S.L.C.) (c) High School/ Secondary Level (d) 10+2/ Higher Secondary Level

Formal school education in Nepal officially spans a period of 12 years, at the successful completion of which a student graduates with a certificate of Higher Secondary Education (10+2). However, since the majority of the schools in the country have not been upgraded for the lack of funds and resources to the 10+2 level, the old high school system with School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination at the end of 10 year still persists. Most of them are public schools funded by the government. However, they have not been able to reach and maintain the expected educational quality standards, nor have they been able to address the needs of the society. If the lack of adequate funds and resources is partly to be blamed, the lack of accountability and too much of politicization in the educational administration from the bottom to the top most hierarchy have had a crippling effect or the educational system. The S.L.C. examination results of the public schools, which have been getting bad to worse over the years, bear witness to this fact. Not surprisingly at all, in spite of tin provision of free education up to primary level and free distribution of books to girl-children and children of socially discriminated ethnic groups up to lower secondary level, parents prefer to send their children to comparatively more expensive private schools right from the beginning.

The private schools in general have better facilities, are better managed and have been showing a much better performance in the S.L.C. examinations. However, the quality standards of the private schools, too, are not consistent and vary considerably from school to school. There are, on the one hand 'A’ class private school establishments managed and run by charity organizations, companies, trusts or? visionary individuals, and on the other, the so called private English boarding schools operated by business minded people in semi-furnished residential houses or even factory-like tin-shades, which are in fact nothing more than teaching-shops. They do, nevertheless, seem to be catering to the taste and the need of the different sections of the society. In addition, the capital also has a British and an American School, which, although initially started for the children of the foreign diplomats, have opened their doors to Nepali children, too.

In the recent years, some public schools have upgraded themselves to the 10+2 level will governmental support, and in the urban and semi-urban areas a number of private 10+2 institution; have sprung up without any lower school base. This sorry state of transition to 10+2 level has forced the universities to continue their intermediate or proficiency certificate level program! for the time being, at least until 2005 according to the latest revised phase-out schedule. Hence,| present, the 10+2 level school education in Nepal is being administered parallely and independent by the university as its intermediate program and as a higher secondary school education program by the Higher Education Board of the Ministry of Education, HMG/Nepal. Meanwhile, the S.L.C Examination continues to remain as the iron-gate to be crossed for an entry into either of the above programs.

The SLC Examination System. The SLC thus being the gate way to higher education commands full attention of all concerned-students and their parents, teachers and their institutions. The students are virtually groomed for the S.L.C. from s VIII onwards. They are taught the actual S.L.C. courses in class IX and X and are required to pass the qualifying examination, popularly called Sent-up Test, at the end of class X to be eligible to appear in the C. examination. The S.L.C. requires the students to take three-hour written examination of 100 marks in each subject for the entire syllabus covered in two years of class IX and X.

The evaluation scheme follows the traditional marking system with division ratings as follows: 35%and above to below45% - Pass with 3nd division. 45% and above to below 60% - Pass with 2nd division. 60% and above to below 80% - Pass with 1st division. 80% and above - Pass with distinction.

The S.L.C., however, as the policy makers claim, is now a matter of only a few years because after the full, nation-wide implementation of the 10+2 system, the present S.L.C. examination will be replaced by a or regional level class X examination. The Higher Secondary Education Board only will t national level 10+2 annual examinations to certify students of having completed their secondary school education or what is popularly called school education in the west.

(iii) Higher Education (a) Bachelor's/Undergraduate Level (b) Master's Level/Graduate/Degree Level (c) Post Graduate, M. Phil. Level (d) Ph.D. Doctoral Level

Higher education in Nepal, like elsewhere in the world, is the sole responsibility of and administered by universities and institutions of higher learning. At present, the country has six universities; five of these - two public (state), two again public (community) and one private - offer western model academic program and technical education while the remaining one, again a public university, is dedicated to the study of Sanskrit and related subjects. There are two more universities in the offing-an international Buddhist university at Lumbini and another a general university with concentration on BuddhisH at Banepa. But since they have not yet received the character, they can be classified only as proposed universities.

Entry into the public institutions of higher learning, except to the technical programs such as medicine, engineering, forestry and agriculture, remained and still remains to a considerable extent almost unrestricted. This has created a tremendous pressure on institutions, draining their physical and human resources and leading, in turn, to a progressive deterioration in the quality of education they impart. As a result, during the last decade of the last century, the government has granted affiliation to a number of private i.e, proprietary colleges and many of them are now fully operational. They offer their programs with the same curricula, but being smaller in size and restrictive in enrolment, they are better equipped and better facilitated. However, such colleges are comparatively very expensive and are almost beyond the reach of the common people. Similar is the case with the only private university of the country as its programs, too, are accessible only to the family well-off.

source: Nepal Educational Directory

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Nepal Makes Rapid Improvements in Quality and Inclusiveness of Education

Over the past two decades Nepal made significant strides in education access, equity, and completion rates, but several challenges persisted in improving learning outcomes, equitable access, and system strengthening. These included: inconsistent education quality at basic and secondary levels, with learning outcomes varying by geography, school, and individual/household characteristics; a considerable number of out-of-school children in basic education and low transition to and retention in secondary schools, particularly for disadvantaged children; and systemic constraints within the school sector.

The 2015 Constitution emphasized political devolution and a federal structure, demonstrating a commitment to greater inclusion. Nevertheless, the lack of coherence on federalism specifics, particularly roles and responsibilities, and implementation delays affected people's expectations.

The development objective of the School Sector Development Program (SSDP) was to enhance quality, equitable access, and efficiency in Nepal's basic and secondary education by supporting the Government's SSDP.

The Bank’s Program for Results (PforR) instrument had two aims: to ensure disbursement-linked indicators (DLIs) focused on accountability for results and outcomes, incentivizing government ownership and implementation of vital reforms and policies in the education sector; and reinforce the use of country systems for program implementation, fiduciary, environmental, and social systems, and monitoring arrangements in a sector-wide approach (SWAP).

The DLI-based reforms in school and teacher management, accountability, and system strengthening in data and fiduciary arrangements emphasized quality improvements, equitable access, participation, and learning outcomes.

Additionally, an investment project financing (IPF) component funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) COVID-19 Accelerated Funds was processed under emergency procedures to address the pandemic's impact on the basic education system and school closures.

The project, which was approved in March 2017 and closed in July 2022, achieved the following results:

• The total survival rate to Grade 12 increased from 11.5 percent in 2016 to 33.1 percent in 2022 (against a target of 25 percent). For girls it increased to 33.9 percent, exceeding the survival rate for boys.
• The out-of-school children number was reduced by 6.76 percent nationwide (against the target of 5.6 percent) during the SSDP period (2016-2022).
• The net enrollment rate (NER) for basic education in the 15 most disadvantaged districts increased from 85.1 percent in 2016 to 92.2 percent in 2022 (against a target of 91.4 percent) and for girls, it increased from 83.6 percent in 2016 to 90.9 percent in 2022 (against a target of 90 percent).
• The NER for secondary education in the 15 most disadvantaged districts increased from 29.1 percent in 2016 to 44.1 percent in 2022 (against a target of 44.3 percent), and for girls, it increased from 27 percent to 43.4 percent (against a target of 43.1 percent). 
• Over 99 percent of funds disbursed to schools followed eligibility and utilization guidelines according to audit observations.
• Approximately 8.2 million number of students benefitted from direct interventions to enhance learning, of which 4.07 million were girls.

World Bank Contribution

• Strengthened governance, fiduciary management, data systems and institutional capacity for results-based program implementation (US$65.6 million)
• Improved access to basic and retention in secondary schools (US$42.4 million)
• National Curriculum Framework Revised and Implemented (US$24 million)
• Assessment and examination system reforms undertaken to improve teaching and learning (US$28 million)
• Improved School Management and Accountability System (US$32 million)
• Improved Teacher Management and Accountability (US$62 million)
• Proficiencies and habits strengthened in early grades (US$4.96 million)
• COVID-19 School Sector Response (US$10.85 million)

The SSDP was funded by the Government of Nepal and 10 joint financing partners (JFP): The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union, Finland, Global Partnership for Education, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Norway, Results in Education for All Children Multi-Donor Trust Fund, UNICEF, and USAID. The JFPs adopted 10 disbursement-linked indicators (DLIs), with a higher number of disbursement-linked results (DLRs).

The World Bank was crucial in uniting the Development Partners to support a results-based approach, adhering to a shared set of DLIs and a common verification method for achieving results.

Looking Ahead

Numerous reforms backed by the PforR have been institutionalized under the government’s program, such as pro-poor targeted scholarships, examination standardization, curriculum reforms, single subject certification policy, strengthened assessment systems, EMIS policy guidelines, and encouraging teacher time spent teaching. In March 2023, the World Bank approved the School Sector Transformation Program Operation to support the Government’s School Education Sector Plan (2023-27), with financing sources from Government of Nepal (US$2,688.42 million), IDA credit (US$120 million), co-financing from Global Partnership for Education Fund (US$19.70 million), and co-financing from other Joint Financing Partners (US$276.98 million).

The operation will largely pursue the same goals, with an enhanced focus on improving quality of education, and extend the earlier collaboration. The follow-on operation will support additional reforms, including the establishment and implementation of a teacher mentorship system, further expansion of pro-poor scholarships to upper basic levels, the implementation of a Recovery and Accelerated Learning Plan, and the introduction of performance grants to local governments.

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Education in Nepal

The education within Nepal has just recently been rising and continues to develop. With the help of several international organizations, education system is being assisted. It is essential for the educational progress and development to decrease the scarcity rate as well as to promote community improvement. Because of the damages that the previous administration management imposed in their education system, Nepal’s government tries to undo and make a superior proposition for education to be better. Before the modern education started in the country, schooling had been restricted and only elite classes are privileged, while the rest of the people stayed mainly illiterate and untaught. Then, when the new era was introduced, education was offered only to sons of the upper classes. Girls infrequently received proper education.

At present, regardless of the establishment of an education structure in Nepal way back, government offered a community school in which students receive regular government grants. There is also the presence of a school managed by local people who are enthusiastic of having school on their vicinities. Though they do not receive any grants from the government regularly, people are helping one another to support and manage so that their schools will be identified as a real community schools.

Nepal’s education scheme is based on the outline of United States. The country served as a guide in forming Nepal’s education curriculum. Grades 1-5 are considered primary education. Their main objective of teaching is for children to read, write and do arithmetic. The secondary education, 6-8, stresses personality development and trains the students for higher learning. For 9-10, upper secondary, serves as the stepping stone for the higher secondary level. The classes 11 and 12 are both regarded as higher secondary. Education, science, humanities, and commerce are the main courses for higher secondary. The Ministry of Education is in charge for the management and the direction of school-rank education in the country. They recently formed the Department of Education, which begun its operations in 2000, with its significant function of giving fair access to education, creating excellencies, internal and external effectiveness improvement and making a growth-pleasant venture education.

The commitment for education broadens throughout the country. More improvement in all aspects of education as well as for the encouragement of a knowledgeable and well-performance nation is what people are hoping and looking forward to.

Current Status of Nepalese Education System

Published by nepgo on february 6, 2018 february 6, 2018.

Author Samiksha Phuyal Krishi Innovation Hub Rupandehi, Nepal (Currently) Written: 2nd January 2018 The article is mainly based on my experience and vision towards the Nepalese Education System which is almost totally the truth. All the terms and conditions that hinder the upliftment of education system in Nepal is included in the article hoping for the reformation of such condition in order to catch up the pace of development.

In early days, before the foundation of democracy, the education in Nepal was based on homeschooling and gurukuls. Of course, only the higher caste and rich people were provided education at gurukuls. Later, when Rana regime was the supreme order in the country, Dev Shumser established hundreds of schools for the public, but his effort was banned and was dethroned as education was not provided to the public. The birth of democracy in 1951 lead to the diversification of education system in Nepal and the higher education shared a huge chunk of importance among the Nepali community. But, that was not enough as it is yet to be realized in the developing country like Nepal. The changes are taking place continuously, which is a good thing but there are hurdles that impose the discontinuation to it and the progress is lagging. One of the major reason behind this obstruction is the political drama; the political parties and the politicization of every sector. Politics has rooted the governmental system and process so deeply that the youths, supposedly the pillar for the nation’s development, are forced to join a political party even before they get to see the college. They are forced to fight for the demands made by the political party and their obscure campaign more often and less often are seen to have devoted their time to study and extra-curricular activities. As a result, the youths, at the higher education level in almost every government colleges and every field are found to be fighting in very minute issues not just for the demand but also for the political rivalry.

The education system here is highly theoretical. It is based more on theories present in the textbook than in practical knowledge which does not do a favour for the students to testify their knowledge in the field. And that’s when things get difficult for students as they lack experience and can’t cooperate effectively in their fields. Due to this, students get in dilemma when asked about their course and its usage for they haven’t been prepared for this and the theoretical expressions given to them would become handy in this situation as 1) they may not be able or know to use it and 2) they are highly likely to forget those expressions when unknown about their physical interpretations. A theoretical knowledge simply does not qualify someone for the job. They got to have some skills they can apply to their work which is not the situation here and that creates unemployment. Unemployment maximizes their leisure time and as there’s as say, “Empty Mind Devil’s Home”, people starts to think negative. Also, youths are highly vulnerable at this stage emotionally, so they catch up bad deeds quickly because of which even the educated youth are found involved in wrong activities like drug addictions and crimes.

The development of infrastructures isn’t catching up as it should have been due to these political dramas. More and more students are graduating each year at an exponential rate. This creates fewer job opportunities and more competition for a single seat and hence the political drama continues. Also, in search of alternatives to this situation, most of the students nowadays are eyeing towards the European countries for further education and jobs. Moreover, after spending few years, they plan to settle there which is not a good cause for the nation. A survey only on the student living at Kathmandu valley can suggest more than half the student’s population taking coaching classes in test preparation courses like GRE, SAT, GMAT, TOFEL for abroad studies. Youth are the building block of any nation, but their population at the country is continuously decreasing. At this level, it cannot be said that one day in future, there will be only the old people and the little kids left in the country.  The capital city Kathmandu has been the centre of everything. Higher governmental works, administrative functions etc. all are centralized here. This, somehow, has caused the localization of higher universities and other educational sectors around Kathmandu. So, the students are bound to stay around for good education. But, the city with everything centralized in it cannot be cheap. The expenses for renting a room or hostel is way above average and can only be afforded by rich peoples. Due to this, children or poor kids, who can’t endure such expenses, don’t get to have a good education and hence good fortune. Many of them must spend their whole life in the dream of getting a good education. The educational system gets a lot worse when the teacher’s children who are the job holders of government schools/colleges teach their children in private schools saying that there is no proper teaching system and management in government schools. They find it a foolish decision to teach their children at government institutions but don’t think it’s them who run those institutions and it’s their negligence which is creating such thoughts.

The teaching profession is considered to be the worst profession here. People say, “Jo Padhera Kei Banna Sakena, uh Teacher Bancha.” (If a person can’t do anything after study, he/she becomes a teacher) and that’s the condition here and thus leaves a bad impression towards the profession of teacher. Even a good teacher does not get a reputation he/she deserves, and this is one of the reasons a qualified and passionate teacher is hard to find as the conception towards a teacher is all in all bad. The poor syllabus of the textbook is one of the drawbacks of the education system. Nepal is a rapidly developing nation and a developing nation wants changes. It gets the swift change in infrastructures and thus requires enough manpower to sustain such changes. The quick changes in infrastructures require new skills and teaching which require the teaching pattern to be changed and moulded continuously. But, this is not the condition here. Still, the old syllabus and old teaching style are used. In fact, the syllabuses aren’t even updated in 10 years. This does not allow the new generation learners to get updated on the course contents and they lack the current knowledge and skills and hence the infrastructures and the knowledge and the usage techniques of those infrastructures don’t coincide generating slow-paced development. Due to the lack of updated syllabus, the country demands manpower and the products produced by the present education system endure miles difference which cannot satisfy the need of the present population. The practice of information technology in educational analysis helps to connect the individual to the world but Nepal still fails to give quality and skill-oriented education to its citizens. The use of old software, programs persists today and there lacks new concepts. One of the software must use by schools here is Microsoft Office, but they still use Office 2003 where office 2016 has already arrived. Only a few private institutions have implemented such use of new information technology in the educational field, but they have hiked their admission and these opportunities can only be afforded by rich peoples which do not provide any help to the education system. Usually, the public schools located in remote areas do not have enough staffs as the government does not allocate enough teachers. Also, the teachers don’t want to stay in such places due to lack of availability of basic items. Thus, a less qualified like, primary level teacher are forced to teach the secondary level students which are beyond their capability. The teacher with no proficiency in a degree teaches the subjects like math teacher teaching social science so the class is always going to be a disaster as he/she can’t teach anything beyond what’s given in the content resulting to poor education and hence the poor knowledge students.

Private schools do have great teachers and well-managed staffs under a good management But, some private schools restrict the students from performing the extra-curricular activities like games and so on. The private institutions are usually profit making and highly competitive and they need the good result to win the competition. So, they limit the extra-curricular activities for they just want their students to engage in studies hoping they would score a good percentage when their mind is directed towards a thing: study and percentage are all that matters to them Also, they get highly theoretical and unswerving in their teaching. As a result, the overall development and improvement of the student lack. Some of the private schools even plan to SEE/HSEB board exam for their students to gain a handy percentage. They keep the weak students with the intelligent student and aim at producing 100% result only for the name and fame of their schools/colleges but rather don’t care if they are spoiling the future of the students.

The base of our community has a very socially dominant status. The students usually are not free to choose what they desire and are forced to take the courses that their parents or in some case even society wants. This creates the unwillingness to carry out and concentrate on the study in students mind and usually results in poor grades and inadequate understanding. The real talent of the students is dominated by the parents and society’s wishes; studying becomes very unrealistic and unpleasant and thus no one gains nothing at all.

Of course, there are several opposing forces to the development of a good education system. In fact, in a developing nation, they are supposed to prevail. Hopefully, the education system would catch up with the pace of the development and be realizing that the education system has gotten very old, the reformations to the education system would take place quickly. When these things get done, it is for sure that the betterment of the education system will bring wide fluctuation in the status of education.

14 Comments

Dinesh ghimire · February 7, 2018 at 9:09 pm

Wow, you have written a great article. Your simplicity and expressiveness in writing is really fascinating. Congrats and keep continuing your enthusiasm toward writing. In my view, one thing you need to focus on is to try to shorten the article and if possible explain with pictures too. That would attract the readers. No matter how better is your article, you first need to attract readers. No matter, keep continuing.

Samiksha Phuyal · February 15, 2018 at 5:02 pm

Thanks Dinesh Ghimire (Dai) for your response and suggestion. Since, I have included all the aspects that talk about the present condition of education system in our country its become a bit lengthy. I will consider it and try to do best. Thank you!!

Sapana Shrestha · February 8, 2018 at 7:15 pm

I go through artical Miss Phuyal andI got aquainted with the current status of Nepal. Eish u publish more

Samiksha Phuyal · February 15, 2018 at 5:07 pm

Thanks Sapana Shrestha for your response. Your encouragement and suggestions are always great for me. Thank You!!!

milan poudel · February 18, 2018 at 2:09 pm

Really a praise worthy article… Feel good to read your article where your inner words cleary reflect. May your dedication and effort catch the eye of concern stakholder… Best wishes further.

Niranjan · June 8, 2018 at 4:03 pm

Very nice lines and That’s also the real condition of our country Great observation

laxmi Acharya · June 11, 2018 at 3:45 pm

well done ! keep it up.

Angel gurung · August 5, 2018 at 7:54 pm

Woh its soo good sister i got help from ur article keep on going ?????????????

Subhash · December 8, 2018 at 1:24 am

Great article samiksha, You have done a good job. Thanks for this article. All Nepalis.. exspecially parents also should realize the fact that they are expecting a dummy first class certificate for their children with no practical knowledge. School managementis responsible for motivating parents way of thinking to a truthful way.

abhishek pariyar · December 8, 2018 at 10:09 am

good article we need to change the education system of our country then only true development will start

Alex · March 22, 2019 at 12:31 pm

Your article is as beautiful as you are Samikshya. keep going !!

AbiChandra Prasai · April 5, 2019 at 12:48 pm

Namaste Samiksha Jee ! Its been very late to see this article. Your article is really an outstanding. Simple way, depth of subject matter and true experience what has been facing on by the nation. If you don’t mind my suggestion! You should use data with graph into the article if there is coming next such article. If you need any assists while collecting date please let me know via gmail. Thank you very much for the Article that I prefer to look and share to others. Regards !! Abi C Prasai, Gaurada, Jhapa

Jeewan · May 12, 2019 at 7:46 pm

Nice, found the flow of feelings here. Try to provide some statistical data or at least the estimation, such as the cost of tuition fees, hostel fees, no. of public and private school etc. i kind of feel like you may think too much on those destroyers while writing journal. Do not ever do that because they will never change. Overall, you did excellent job.

KAUTUK · July 18, 2019 at 7:12 pm

wow i appreciate your words………infact i am facing the same problem….. i am studying b.s.c. although i have completed my IT(Information technology) background from C.T.E.V.T and N.S.T.B. ……….. i am earning income by teaching in schools and home tutions……and the peoplr here repeats the same….’jo padhera kehi garna sakena, uh teacher bancha ………Science padhera loksewa aayog ko tayari garcha”

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History and politics of Nepal’s school education

Ishwari Bhattarai

To understand the historical and contemporary context in which schooling education in Nepal developed, one has to raise certain questions: When and how did formal school education evolve? How did the state regulate the opening of schools before and after the 1950s? How did intersectional dynamics of caste, class, gender and societal politics play in the establishment and expansion of schools? How the state-led ‘nationalisation’ of schools and ‘standardisation’ of curriculum shaped the knowledge and impacted the learning experience of children from diverse social backgrounds? Readers will get answers to these questions in the book ‘School Education in Nepal: History, Politics and Society’ published by Martin Chautari, a Kathmandu-based research organisation.

In the past couple of years, under its book series, Martin Chautari has published a few other volumes on school education in Nepal, namely ‘School Education in Nepal: History and Politics of Governance and Reforms’, and ‘School Education in Nepal: Communityization, Federalism and Disaster’. Recently, another volume focusing on the Financial Aspects of School Education also came out.

The evolution of school education during the later decades of Rana rule from around the 1930s until the end of the Panchayat period in the 1990s is captured thoroughly in ‘School Education in Nepal’. Organised into six key chapters—apart from the introduction that sets a brief tone of the history of school education in Nepal—the book examines how successive regimes during the Rana and Panchayat period used school education as the most important tool to further their interests by restricting and regulating schooling, and the functioning of schools. This historical scholarship uses a wide range of published and unpublished archival sources complemented by interviews and personal accounts. All the chapters offer an intersectional element of dynamics of caste, class and gender and societal politics with the larger political context of the evolution of school education in Nepal.

Caste and school education

Historically class and caste system has played a significant role in determining access to formal schooling in Nepal. The erstwhile upper castes, traditionally placed in the dominant social position, have had greater access to education that helped them capitalise on socially valued resources. While traditional lower castes—such as Dalits and others in the margins—have had restricted access. This volume sheds light on how the caste system school education, influenced the appointment of teachers, development of school curriculum, and teaching style. An elaborate description of the history of upper caste Brahmins' access to school education has been captured by Arjun Panthi in his article on the educational dynamics of Brahmins. Panthi gives the readers an insight into the Harihar Sanskrit School in the erstwhile Gulmi district (now Arghakhanchi), started by a local individual philanthropist almost 100 years ago. Established around 1970 B.S. and later financed by a rich local Brahman man Harihar Gautam, the author pictures the context of student recruitment, curriculum and teaching method, provision for fellowships, its affiliation with a college as well as opportunities for higher education in Varanasi, India.

All these networks of relationships are likely to have shaped the social mobility of Brahmins since the past. The book also illuminates how the students who studied there were socially mobile, entered state institutions and expanded their power and influence, acquiring the necessary cultural capital. The text indicates that a good number of individuals from this region entered state institutions and Nepal’s bureaucracy in contemporary times because their families had the opportunity of early schooling.

While the children affiliated with the Ranas, the affluent class, and the ‘powerful’ families, had opportunities to attend schools, children in Dalit and other communities on the margins were facing many challenges. How did the Dalit students struggle for education in a rigid caste-ordered society? Devendra Upreti and Shivahari Gywali try to answer this question in the article ‘Dalit Education in Hindu Society’ and trace the history of Dalit education from the Rana period. The authors track down an account of the initiatives taken by a few individuals to educate Dalit children. Expansion of Dalit education in various parts of Nepal saw conflicts on multiple fronts. Along with tensions in the community, the chapter sheds light on how Dalit students continuously suffered discrimination in schools, although the nature and scale of discrimination varied across different regions. Reading through the chapter, it becomes evident that social conflicts emerged on the question of segregation/integration of Dalits with other ‘upper caste’ children in the same classroom/schools. Due to persistent discrimination faced by Dalits , there were efforts to open schools exclusively for them in different places.

Gender, school education and politics

The other key theme in the book is the complex relationship between gender and politics in school education. When formal schooling was just introduced, it was, by default, the domain of men. However, there are selected examples where women, particularly those belonging to upper castes/class, began attending schools during the late Rana period. Exploring the issue of women's education in the late Rana period, Lokranjan Parajuli outlines multifaceted debates that took place during this time in his article. Initially, women were missing from formal schooling. Even when there were efforts to expand formal schooling among girls, it was primarily viewed as a complementary effort to support men and reproduce patriarchal dominance. Despite this dominant motive, Parajuli shows how young girls who got a chance to enter schools also participated in the public discourse of freedom and equality, expressing their views in the newspapers and magazines published at that time.

School education evolved with political and social change in and beyond Nepal. There are regional, national and international political context that has shaped the growth of schools. Through formal schooling, the state began to socialise children and aimed to create a common ‘Nepali’ identity. This was done through the standardisation of school textbooks and curriculum that promoted the idea of a common national identity. The state politics on school education had a differential impact across Nepal. The regions where non-Nepali speakers were predominant were highly impacted by the state-led initiatives of ‘standardisation’ and ‘homogenisation’ of curriculum and imposition of the Nepali language as a compulsory medium of communication. The experiential and descriptive account by CK Lal provides the social and political analysis of schooling and its evolution in the southern central Tarai. Lal presents a vibrant picture of how the context of school education changed with local and national political dynamics. He provides a chronological picture and discusses the role played by local elites to educate children during the early period through ‘home schooling’ to the impact of a state-led project of nationalisation of school education leading to ‘homogenisation’ and ‘standardisation’ during the Panchayat period.

While locally powerful individuals and communities took the initiative to establish most of the schools until the early decades of Panchayat they largely operated autonomously. With the phenomenal growth of schools across Nepal after the 1950s, they appeared to be sites for political consciousness. The locally managed autonomous functioning of schools was seen as a threat to the regime by the Panchayat government. The government then converted all of them to ‘national’ schools introducing new policies. The schools turned to a new political battleground. Lokranjan Parajuli in his second article engages the question of the politics of school education during the Panchayat period and argues that by converting community schools into government schools and teachers as salaried ‘government employees’ the government sought to produce citizens loyal to the nation. This deliberate attempt to control and regulate schools was furthered through the introduction of new curricula and mandatory imposition of the Nepali language as a medium of education. Despite significant political changes during the post-Rana period, the author observes that the Panchayat regime continued a controlled and regulatory approach fundamentally not different from the earlier political regime.

The Panchayat government aimed to craft citizens loyal to its regime, and therefore textbooks were designed accordingly. Among these, the history textbooks in particular were deliberately written with an aim to erase Nepal’s diverse historical context and dynamics to produce a ‘homogenous’ monolithic history. Written almost two decades ago in English and its Nepali translation has been included in this volume, Onta engages with the question of how Nepali Rastriya Itihas (the national history of Nepal) was produced and disseminated through school textbooks in the Panchayat period. With an aim to produce uncritical citizens, this article argues that the Panchayat period textbooks crafted selective Nepali ‘icons’ and historical narratives to construct a common ‘Nepali’ and ‘ bir ’(brave) history. In doing so, there was an erasure of ambivalence and contradictions. This selective, hyper-masculine bir history produced during the 1970s and 1980s has had a deep impact on the psyche of young students.

The political changes even after the 1990s did not bring any fundamental alterations in the ideas on school education as the curriculum and textbooks were largely the continuum of the Panchayat past. I recalled my high school days when my experience was exactly the same as the one highlighted in the article. Being socialised into such schooling in the first decade after the fall of Panchayat government, I hardly had any critical approach to knowledge until I joined my university-level education. The Panchayat era was quite successful in producing a large band of uncritical citizens. This continued during the democratic period too. The author concludes this article by delineating a need for a critical reflection on the impact of such distorted histories among the masses through school education.

Although a couple of articles included in the volume are published elsewhere too, it is a welcome addition to the contribution of the history of education in Nepal to regenerate new debates in a contemporary context. Not only does the book document the cultural, historical and political context in which school education evolved but also examines the various facets of it—including political events, social changes and economic conditions happening in Nepal until the 1990s. Overall, it is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the evolution and politics of school education in Nepal and South Asia.

School Education in Nepal: History, Politics and Society

Editors: Lokranjan Parajuli, Pratyoush Onta, Devendra Upreti

Publisher: Martin Chautari

Ishwari Bhattarai Bhattarai is a researcher at Democracy Resource Centre Nepal, Kathmandu.

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Student views on Education System of Nepal

Until recent years, Nepal has followed a three-tier education system, 12 years of school education, 4 years of college education and 2 for the master's program. Due to the current political situation of the country, lack of good governance and carelessness of policy makers, our education system is of poor quality, especially in the public sectors. The current scenario of higher education doesn't depict a clear road map for the personal development of the students & the development of the country. So the time has come to update our education with latest technology and learning procedure in order to produce globally competent human resources.

The most important thing that has to be improved is the syllabus which should be focused on fundamental understanding of the subject matter & increase critical thinking and problem abilities of the students. Classroom-based education should be replaced by field based and practical based system. Instead of paper based examinations, quality evaluation techniques should be applied. There is a direct relationship between education and sustainable development, so government should invest more in education and it should be prioritized.

CHINTAN PATHAK BSC SCIENCE, TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY  

What is education? Let us just first know the literal meaning of it. “Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, but learners may also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational.”

I and many of us only think that education is through teaching. But teaching is only one dimension for educating someone. Where are storytelling, training and other? These all dimensions should be carried out or say implemented simultaneously. You go to school listening to your teacher or instructors, do their work and then return home. We are perceiving education by only this means. We are not awakened. Please wake up, the major part of education technology is not enforced properly. Hence, I say we should give equal weight to research, training, and storytelling and most important are educating yourself by you.

ANANDA WAGLE

PRIME COLLEGE  

In the 21st Century, education is the fundamental need for all. Education system should be task oriented, not only the theory education but should be practical as well, for example, if I have the knowledge of Digital Logic, I am able to make electronic torch. I mean this sort of knowledge directly sales at market, the individual survive with self-dependent skills, and same as this each and every people have different skills in different sectors. Here we can create better job inside the country then the outcome would be make our country great independent. To improvement education system the policy maker must be a Ph.D. holder on Education Policy Management System. Staff recruitment process shouldn’t be based on political process and emphasis on knowledge, skills, and expertise.  

SANTOSH SAPKOTA

SIKKIM MANIPAL UNIVERSITY

Nepal has a formal education structure. A primary school has an official entry age of 5 and duration of 5 grades, secondary which consists of grades 6-12 is further divided into 3 levels: lower secondary (grades 6-8), secondary (grades 9 & 10) and higher secondary (grades 11 & 12). Also, further high levels have been well established at present which includes bachelor level, master’s degree.

The education system in Nepal has been well developed in the urban areas whereas in remote areas still, we need to put lots of effort for the improvement of education. The term education policy means the principles and government policy-making in the educational sphere as well as the collection of laws and rules that govern the operation of education systems. Policies like quality in education, research-oriented education system, education that will produce manpower competent enough to manage in the international scenario, introducing the use of science and technology in teaching methods are the principal policies that are needed to be introduced in our education system. The quality of education in a country determines the quality of human resources in that country. Along with the previous education policies, the school size, class size, teaching methods, education to every single citizen of the country without the discrimination in gender, caste, religion, status, school infrastructure are also to be included in the policies for the improvement of the education system

MALIKA SHRESTHA

PUBLIC YOUTH CAMPUS

Regarding self, as a part of an innovative society, each bud of flower should have equal rights to bloom, flourish and spread. No flower should be limited within a tiny pot but should get enough of wide premises with no any boundaries for the curiosity. Following the history of education policy in Nepal, we have been involved much unto the theories and certificates of higher grades. No one ever gets an opportunity to acknowledge the learning within the self. The process of learning should be interesting, practical-based and skills oriented rather than the bundles of words forcefully been set into the tender minds. Peaceful environment using latest teaching materials preferably online-based: E-books/library, The PowerPoint presentation and the Art of visualizing are the valuable assets for the betterment. All possible ideas and technologies should be united to create a renewable education source. Our wide concern should be more focused on creativity and the goals to make every student a lifelong learner with strong basic academic qualification. Environment and the people should be the platform to explore the authenticity of knowledge gaining. No students should ever be tortured to secure good marks but we should more emphasis on their will power and inner desire. At last but not the least, Einstein knows it better 'Everyone is born a genius but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, you will live your whole life believing it's stupid.'

ANGEL PUDASAINI

TRI CHANDRA MULTIPLE CAMPUS

JASMITA KHADGI

TU- CENTRAL DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

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Education system in Nepal – Research Essay

Introduction In my research essay, I explore the education system in Nepal. I am already aware that the education system in Nepal was based on home schooling and Gurukula, but since they become a democracy in 1951, they have made many improvements. It is my intention to find out what those improvements are. Methodology My main methodology will include reading written research on the subject from local libraries, University libraries, and trusted online resources. I will also research and read records and websites relating to trusted statistics.

They have school and higher education, where a student has to apply for higher education as people have to in other countries. A student gets a school-leaving certificate for completing school and getting their education. Grades 11 and 12 are considered higher secondary education, for which a student gets a certificate for completing by the HSEB, which is the Higher Secondary Education Board.If you opt for higher education, then you may earn your bachelor degree, masters and PhD in a Nepal college. There is also vocational education that starts in lower school and allows a person to work towards a trade and get a “Technical School leaving Certificate”. Research The first school in Nepal was made only for elite learners and was opened in 1853.

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More have come about since democracy broke out in Nepal, and again in 1971 when the country built its education department and started allowing and funding schools in Nepal. Results In 1971, there was a literacy rate of 5%. There were also a total of 10,000 students spread across 300 schools. Now much of the population receives some sort of education and the number of schools, big and small, is 49,000. The adult literacy rate has jumped from just 5% to 60.

3%. Evaluation Nepal has done a good job to come so far in such as short space of time, but there is still a long way to go. Poverty and social exclusion are two very big restraints on people and their ability to get a good (or usable) education. There are also more males getting an education than females. There are 46.

3% of females getting an education, whereas there are 73% of males getting an education. These are very good figures and show that the government in Nepal has been working towards improving the education system in Nepal. Conclusion The education system in Nepal is not as bad as it was, but there are still massive holes in their education system. They really need to up the pace if they want to get anywhere near to the quality levels of many other countries. There are clearly more opportunities for students in Nepal these days than there was, and they have certainly created a good structure on which to build a good education system, but it needs a lot of work.

Too many people are excluded from school because of poverty or social exclusion, and females are not getting as good of an education than male students are (especially since fewer females attend school).

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15 Problems of The Education System in Nepal

If you are looking to improve the education system in your country, here are some problems you may encounter. One problem you may encounter is the outdated curriculum. It is time for Nepal to update its curriculum and create better schools.

This article discusses five common problems that you may encounter in the education system in Nepal. Read on to find out how to improve it! Let’s begin! Listed below are the five most significant problems that you may encounter in the education system in Nepal.

Education is a critical component of any society’s development. For several reasons, including lowering poverty, advancing social equality, and boosting economic growth, education has been seen as essential in Nepal. Being a developing nation, Nepal continues to face numerous social, economic, and political difficulties. Education is thought to be a key component of the solution to these problems.

By raising people’s living standards, education can help fight poverty. People can acquire the knowledge and skills they need through education to land better jobs, make more money, and become self-sufficient. Education is what makes an individual strong and independent. Despite the importance of education, the Nepalese education system has faced several challenges that have hampered its effectiveness.

A basic human right is an ability to access high-quality education, but Nepal’s educational system struggles with high dropout rates and a lack of schools, especially in rural areas. The Nepalese government has made an effort to address these issues by boosting education access and spending on infrastructure, but the issue still exists.

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Education system in nepal, problems of the education system in nepal, poor infrastructure and resources in schools, poor quality of education, inequality in education system, the issue with examination system, lack of vocational education and training, issues with governance and management, what are the solutions to such problems, un-updated curriculum, lack of practical knowledge, students migration abroad, traditional institutions, job driven teaching methods.

This issue is made worse by the lack of qualified teachers and the scarcity of educational materials, leading to a learning environment that is unsuitable for many Nepalese children. Millions of children in Nepal are deprived of the chance to realize their full potential, which has profound effects on the development of the nation.

The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the issues that are impeding the development of a strong and effective education system in Nepal. We hope that by identifying the challenges, we can raise awareness and inspire actions that will lead to the improvement of Nepal’s education system.

While the education system in Nepal is experiencing significant changes, there are still many challenges in the country. In 2017, the country was forced to transition from a unitary government to a federal one, which introduced new levels of government.

The central government has made most decisions addressing COVID-19, while local governments have lacked the resources to set their paths. Teachers have voiced frustrations that local governments waited for central government directives before taking action.

Public education is closely connected to other aspects of the state. The pace of economic development, the status of society, and the level of physical education all contribute to the quality of education. In Nepal, a significant amount of the national budget goes into education. The state spends significant amounts of money on strengthening classrooms and learning facilities and evaluating how well the system contributes to a country’s economic and social development.

Public education is one of the most critical components of the state, and it is shaped by many factors, including political systems, the environment, and economic and social structures. In Nepal, an estimated 570,000 children aged five to twelve do not attend school, while only 50 percent of elementary-age children meet minimum academic achievement standards.

In addition, only 12 percent of children in the lowest income quintile meet developmentally appropriate levels of literacy and numeracy. In addition, fewer than half of all schools meet child-friendly standards, and only eleven percent of schools are earthquake-resistant.

Public schools in Nepal often receive lower-quality education than private schools. In rural and Terai areas, the quality of public education is even lower. This has created a huge challenge in strengthening public schools and managing private ones. The constitution places education as a central pillar of newly-formed provinces and assigns primary responsibility for educating children. In addition, the constitution also guarantees free education up to the secondary level. Local governments are also responsible for secondary education.

After the devastating earthquakes, Nepal’s education system was left in ruins. Fortunately, it is now being rebuilt. The goal is to make it better than it was before. But how can the education system improve? The first step is recognizing the causes of inequity. Inequitable educational opportunities lead to low educational standards, low morale, and increased crime. A recent documentary examines the education system in Nepal.

In Nepal, public education institutions face many challenges, including low enrollment, lack of resources, and gender-based exclusion. The resulting lockdown has created a responsibility for academic institutions to turn on virtual media. It also forced them to stick to pre-announced academic calendars.

The earthquake has triggered a transition phase from a traditional system to a modern one. Schools and educational institutions have been busy with policy formulation, building infrastructure, and finding new ways to teach online. But there was not enough planning to develop a digital educational system.

The main problem facing the education sector in Nepal is keeping young children in school. Even though Nepal has made huge strides in education over the past two decades, there are still many challenges. Uneven socio-economic conditions and limited technological infrastructure still contribute to the high level of illiteracy. Inequitable educational policies and practices are one of the reasons for illiteracy. But Nepal is striving to improve its education system by raising its enrolment rates.

In Nepal’s education system, inadequate infrastructure and resources in schools pose a significant challenge. Students struggle to concentrate on their studies when there aren’t adequate classrooms, furniture, or sanitation facilities, and a lack of hygiene can lead to health problems.

Such is the case of colleges and schools not only in rural areas but also in most city areas. Even if there are any such benefits or facilities for students, they are damaged and unmanaged. The process of renovation and reconstruction takes decades to complete.  Furthermore, teaching materials such as textbooks, computers, and laboratory equipment are in short supply, making it difficult for students to obtain a comprehensive education.

 Loads of budget every year is spent on basic books and copies however the simplest of books and copies are expensive making education unaffordable which leads to the education sector being an extensively commercialized sector born out of self-interest. 

As a result, many students are unable to perform to their full potential, and their educational options are limited. In actuality, the problem is that students, teachers, parents, and all the related people are getting more and more adapted to this sort of education system and the facilities provided by educational institutes. Moreover, the resources that we often talk highly about are only available in a handful of colleges and schools in the country.

The entirety of education, meaning every aspect of the education system is faulty to make up for this part. In Nepal, a critical shortage of trained and qualified teachers is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. Teachers play an important role in shaping students’ futures, and the quality of their education is dependent on the teachers’ competency and dedication.

The shortage of trained and qualified teachers in Nepal is due to several factors, including inadequate training and low pay, which have resulted in a teacher shortage, particularly in rural areas. The issue is particularly acute in remote areas, where teachers are hesitant to work due to a lack of basic amenities, poor living conditions, and low pay.

Furthermore, due to the failure of the system to provide “teachers,” this is a huge problem. Most of the teachers are not always properly trained, and some are not even qualified to teach. As a result, students are not receiving the education they require to succeed in life.

Many school systems’ teaching methods are based on rote learning and memorization, which do not promote critical thinking, problem-solving skills, or creativity. There is no place for students who can understand and grasp the concept while one who can rote it is highly valued. 

The curriculum is also out of date and does not adequately prepare students for modern-day challenges. In a time where different new subjects and job-related education are infamous in other parts of the world, Nepal still struggles with limited options for professions.  These issues limit students’ ability to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in higher education and the labor market.

The students with high-grade certificates from Nepal fail to fit into the education system in different countries. In conclusion, outdated teaching methods and curricula are significant challenges facing the education system in Nepal.

Disparities in access to education across regions and communities, gender inequality in education, and inadequate provisions for the education of disabled children are major challenges confronting Nepal’s education system. Rural areas have a much lower availability of schools, infrastructure, and teaching materials than urban areas, resulting in lower enrollment and higher drop-out rates.

The high topographical difference can also be held responsible for the inability of education to reach all the regions of Nepal. However, we can also say that irrespective of the provision of the federal provinces, there are no such noteworthy changes in the education system throughout the nation.

The problem of inequality in terms of the provision of education has been uprooted in society for decades and is still prevalent to this day in Nepal. Despite significant progress, girls are still less likely than boys to attend school and complete their education.

This is due to a combination of factors such as poverty, social norms, and cultural practices. Inequality poses a huge threat to the advancement of the education system, the example of such can be the present condition of the Nepalese education system. The more people on average irrespective of gender are educated, the more fruitful will the future be, however, that is not the present scenario in Nepal.

Moreover, the facilities of education for disabled people are still far from reach.  There is a lack of inclusive education facilities and trained teachers to provide the necessary support to children with disabilities. They are also disabled for they can’t receive a very basic right which is ‘education’.

Examination system issues, an emphasis on rote learning and memorization, high-stress levels among students as a result of a competitive examination system, and inadequate evaluation of practical skills and creativity are some of the significant challenges confronting Nepal’s education system. Nepal’s education system is largely based on rote learning and memorization, which does not encourage critical thinking or problem-solving abilities.

Students are taught to memorize information without understanding the concepts or how they apply them to real-world situations. This approach limits students’ ability to think critically and creatively, as well as hinders their development of necessary skills in the real world. This has caused the students of Nepal a huge loss because they are unable to compete with other students or even students of their age from other countries.

Not only that, Nepal’s competitive examination system causes high levels of stress among students. The emphasis on ranking and grades fosters unhealthy competition, putting enormous pressure on students to succeed. This stress can hurt their mental health and well-being.

This is one of the very reasons why the drop-out rate of students in Nepal is very high. It is such a shame that this method of teaching and examination has made us dull than ever. As per recent data, Nepal ranks 199 th in average IQ of 42.99. Also, the current examination system does not adequately assess practical skills and creativity.

Students are primarily assessed on their ability to memorize and recall information, with little emphasis placed on practical application or creative thinking. As a result, students may have good theoretical knowledge but lack practical skills that are necessary in the real world.

There is no development of a course based on practical skills that are necessary for the field and even if there are some courses with it, no one is there specifically to verify that the person has that level or specialization of practical skills that one is crediting for. So, the fact is, the concept of practical marking and skills is completely superficial.

Significant challenges confronting Nepal’s education system include an insufficient emphasis on practical skills and vocational training, limited opportunities for technical and vocational education and training, and a mismatch between the skills taught and the needs of the labor market.

In Nepal’s educational system, there is an insufficient emphasis on practical skills and vocational training. Most of the work done in Nepal due to the labour intrinsic society is based on vocational and technical fields. Also, there are very few organizations providing such education in comparison to basic education.

Moreover, academic excellence and theoretical knowledge are prioritized over practical skills in the current system, leaving students unprepared for the job market. This approach creates a skills gap in which graduates lack the practical skills required by employers, limiting their ability to find work and contribute to the economy.

Moreover, there are very limited opportunities for technical and vocational education and training in Nepal. The majority of technical and vocational training programs are concentrated in urban areas, making them difficult to access for rural students. Furthermore, these programs are underutilized, resulting in a lack of interest among students. 

There is a misalignment between the skills taught and the demands of the labor market. Many graduates lack the skills required by employers, resulting in a high rate of unemployment. This mismatch emphasizes the need for a stronger link between education and the labor market, with education programs tailored to the needs of the labor market. The recent increase in entrepreneurship has left such education in pieces with very few students interested.

Inefficient governance and management of educational institutions, corruption, political interference, and lack of transparency and accountability in resource allocation and decision-making processes are huge issues confronting Nepal’s education system. The management and governance of educational institutions are ineffective and inefficient.

The poor management and governance of many schools result in the insufficient delivery of resources and services. Additionally, some educational institutions are overstaffed with underqualified staff, wasting money and employing workers inefficiently. Secondly, Nepal’s educational system is rife with corruption and political meddling.

The effective implementation of policies and programs is hampered by corruption, which takes the form of money theft, nepotism, and bribery. Political meddling in the hiring of staff, decision-making procedures, and resource allocation results in the poor management of educational institutions and lowers the standard of education.

The distribution of resources and the decision-making processes in Nepal’s educational system are not transparent or accountable. It is challenging to hold educational institutions accountable for their performance and to guarantee that resources are distributed fairly and efficiently due to this lack of transparency.

It also results in stakeholders, such as students, parents, and the larger community, losing faith and confidence in the educational system. Most of the government schools and colleges are not being accountable and transparent in their actions as large budgets and huge donations are granted to such every year yet we see no such changes that were to have happened with such budgets.

All in all, the entire management of the government and its failure has resulted in damage to the education system and the future of many students.

There is no shortcut or one-way solution to end the problem overnight. Not only have the problems existed in the past but also it has amassed more in these years. Such solutions will take time yet will surely uproot the above-mentioned problems. Moving back to the subject, some of the ways the problems can be solved are as follows:

• Increase education funding: The government can increase education funding to improve infrastructure, teacher training, and educational resources.
• Improve teacher training: Regular and effective teacher training can improve teachers’ skills, teaching methodology, and overall teaching quality.
• Use of technology in the classroom: Using technology in the classroom can improve learning outcomes, make learning more interactive and engaging, and provide access to resources that are not readily available.
• Increase access to education: Through initiatives such as scholarships, grants, and distance education, the government can work to increase access to education for all communities, particularly rural and marginalized groups.
• Reduce class sizes: Smaller class sizes can result in more personalized attention and better learning outcomes.
• Improve the curriculum: The curriculum can be updated to better meet the needs of the twenty-first century, such as digital literacy, financial literacy, and critical thinking.
• Increase parent and community involvement: Getting parents and the community involved in school activities and decisions can help to create a supportive and engaged environment.
• Increasing accountability: Accountability measures such as standardized testing, teacher evaluations, and school inspections can all help to improve teaching quality and student outcomes.
• Encourage experiential learning: Including opportunities for experiential learning, such as field trips, internships, and project-based learning, can improve learning outcomes and practical experience.
• Teacher incentives: The government can provide incentives such as bonuses and recognition to teachers who perform exceptionally well, which can help to improve teacher motivation and retention.

The education system in Nepal has been plagued by a series of political upheavals over the past 30 years. These changes have affected many aspects of education in Nepal, including the curriculum. However, with the proper government support, this situation can improve significantly. One of the biggest problems with the curriculum is its lack of practical application. The problem stems from the lack of adequate teachers who can effectively impart education to students with disabilities.

A major problem with Nepal’s education system is that teachers and faculty lack adequate knowledge of subject matters. Many are teaching subjects outside of their specialization. Furthermore, the majority of present faculty members lack the necessary practical experience and education to teach the curriculum. Lack of political influence, a lack of resources, and a low ratio of faculty to students are all obstacles to improving education in Nepal. It’s no surprise that the country lack of international standards.

While two-thirds of the children in Nepal go to school, a large number of them do not complete secondary education. Of the 100 children in grade one, only thirty percent stay in school, and almost 70% drop out altogether. Moreover, most of the children who do not complete SLC fail in mathematics, English, and science, and nearly 25% cannot count double digits. This fact reveals that the education system in Nepal is not effective at training young people for the modern world.

Many mainstream schools have not made provisions for physically disabled students, and lack accessible learning materials. In addition, wheelchair-accessible classrooms do not exist. Some schools have no ramps or lifts and require students to climb stairs inside the building to reach the upper floors.

Another school, which is scheduled to open in a few months, does not meet national accessibility standards and will be equipped with only an entrance ramp. Moreover, despite its many shortcomings, there is a lack of practical knowledge in the education system in Nepal.

The trend of Students Migration Abroad in Nepal has increased significantly over the past 60 years, mainly due to investments in education. In addition to adopting foreign inputs, Nepal has invested huge amounts in improving the quality of education. However, the trend of migration abroad is still in its early stages, with 20,000 students leaving the country annually to pursue higher education abroad. This study highlights the perspectives of aspirant students as they prepare for their migration and discusses the factors that push them to migrate abroad.

The country exports substantial human capital, labor, and skilled manpower. It is estimated that over 52% of students in Nepal intend to migrate abroad for higher education. In addition, this trend affects Nepal’s economy directly through remittances. In addition, many graduates learn new technologies while studying abroad, thereby contributing to the economic development of their home country. Furthermore, some of the emigrants even use their skills and knowledge to improve the living standards in their home country.

As a country in transition, Nepal is in a critical phase of change, with schools destroyed and new ones being built. While the educational system is being rebuilt, it needs to be better than before. This article looks at the challenges faced by Nepal’s traditional institutions. This article examines the legacy of the Choho system, a traditional institution of the Tamang community in the district adjacent to the Kathmandu valley.

During Nepal’s transition from an absolute monarchy to a representative political system, education was primarily the preserve of the upper classes and the elite. The country’s literacy rate stood at 5 percent, with only a few hundred schools and 10,000 students in total. Women were discouraged from attending school in the country, where religion and caste were highly influential. As a result, the education system was severely underfunded.

The system of governance in Nepal is still in transition. The 2015 constitution delineates Nepal into seven states, where political powers are delegated to local governments and states. However, the implementation of the new federal system is a slow and conflict-ridden process, with many local governments yet to function fully. Moreover, much of Nepal’s education system is still managed under the old system. The Ministry of Education controlled five Regional Educational Directorates, and District Education Offices. In these districts, Resource Centers implemented policies.

The study focused on 13 schools in Kathmandu, Nepal. These schools were selected based on geographic location, with some having classes for only one or two grades while others offer up to twelve different classes. A total of 232 students, 136 male, and 148 female were randomly chosen for the study. Results indicated that only one in eight students in class achieved the required level of proficiency in English, mathematics, and science.

The study revealed similarities and differences between the US and Nepalese samples on the two dimensions of engagement and task approach. Despite the differences in culture, the study found similarities in the learning behaviors of children across the two countries.

The study also noted differences and recommended future research that would develop culture-based norms and assessment methods that address these differences. While the research does not address the effectiveness of job-driven teaching methods, the findings provide a valuable window into the learning behaviors of Nepali children.

Further, the study establishes the initial psychometric properties of an evidence-based student learning behavior measure (LBS). In the future, the information can be used to strengthen the approach to learning of students and foster academic achievement.

The evaluation of teachers is another critical aspect of education. In Nepal, teachers are rarely evaluated. Their performance is judged by their peers. They are appointed for decades and rarely evaluated. Meanwhile, private college teachers are evaluated when they are first appointed but never by students.

Compared to the Nepalese education system, the US education system regularly evaluates teachers every semester and promotes them to develop. It is important to develop unique models for the system in Nepal to address its unique demands.

To summarize, Nepal’s education system faces numerous challenges that prevent it from providing the quality of education that the country requires. Lack of funding, insufficient teacher training, poor infrastructure, and an inadequate curriculum all contribute to Nepal’s poor state of education. Furthermore, the social structure, values, culture and many of the small things of the society lead to the problems being more problematic.

The problems that could have been solved years ago are now deeply rooted in the very existence of this generation. To address these issues and develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses the root causes of the problems confronting the education system, the government, education policymakers, and stakeholders must collaborate.

Not only the people at the top level, but also students, society, parents, guardians, and every individual have to support the actions implemented by the government for such will lead to a brighter future for the entirety of Nepalese and not just an individual.

Writer: Samyam Shrestha

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