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The Nepal Teachers' Federation continued its protest in Kathmandu on Monday also demanding immediate enactment of the School Education Bill.

The teachers under the leadership of the Federation staged a demonstration in the Maitighar-Baneshwor area demanding the endorsement of the School Education Bill pronto.

As a result, traffic went haywire in various places of Kathmandu including Baneshwor, Thapagaun and Anamnagar, causing inconveniences to school, college students and office workers who commute daily.

The teachers said that they would continue the protests until their demands are met.  

Due to the teachers’ protest, teaching and learning activities across the country have been affected.

They have been staging protests in Kathmandu for the past 20 days.

Israeli forces kill 31 people in Gaza and two others in Lebanon, as US forces bomb a popular market in Yemen, killing at least 12 people.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) rejects the findings of an Israeli military investigation into the deaths of 15 emergency workers last month, calling for an independent UN inquiry, Al Jazeera reported.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 51,201 Palestinians and injured 116,869 others since it began 18 months ago.

The Gaza Government Media Office raised the death toll to nearly 61,700, stating thousands of individuals missing under the rubble are assumed dead. At least 1,139 individuals were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led strikes on October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.

The price of gold has reached an all-time high in the domestic market on Monday, setting a new historical record.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Traders, the price of gold has increased by Rs 400 per tola to reach Rs 191, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 190, 600 per tola on Tuesday.

The price of silver, however, remained stable and is being traded at Rs 1, 960 per tola.

Nepali media personality and model Bibhusha Basnet has been appointed the brand ambassador of Nepal Kabaddi for a year, as the country prepares to host its first-ever Women’s Kabaddi Test Series. Taking on the role with pride, Basnet expressed her commitment to promoting the sport: “I hope to play a meaningful role in the development and promotion of kabaddi in Nepal. This is an exciting opportunity to support a sport that is rapidly growing and achieving great things.”

The All Nepal Kabaddi Association (ANKA) announced a five-day bilateral test series between Nepal and Bangladesh will take place from April 20 to 26 at the Taekwondo Covered Hall in Satdobato, Lalitpur. This marks the first time Nepal’s national women’s team will compete in an international kabaddi test series.

At a press conference in Kathmandu, ANKA General Secretary Arvind Kumar Jha highlighted that the event is part of a broader collaboration with the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation, under which the two nations will host three test series annually. “This initiative aims to bring test-format kabaddi to the international stage,” Jha said, adding that Bangladesh’s women’s team is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on Saturday.

Nepal’s women’s kabaddi team, currently ranked third in the world, is also gearing up for the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup to be held in India from June 1 to 13. The team won a bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou and has been in closed training at Mulpani for the past two years, alongside the men’s team.

Singers Shirish Devkota and Samikshya Adhikari have come together for a new folk duet titled Goli Baruda, which was officially released Saturday. The song’s music video premiered on Devkota’s official YouTube channel. With lyrics and music composed by Devkota himself, the song is arranged by Sunil Pariyar. Recording was handled by Suman and Khuman Rana, while Kumar Rana took care of the mixing and mastering.

The music video stars Shirish Devkota alongside Geeta Dhungana in lead roles, with direction and choreography by Jerry Bhandari.

Following the enforcement of the National Education System in 1971, education gained immense importance in Nepali society. Higher education became a marker of success, and parents began prioritizing their children’s schooling, viewing it as a means to “kindle light in the darkness.” However, the rise of educated unemployment, the migration of skilled youth abroad, and the declining value of degrees have raised serious concerns about Nepal’s education quality.

As Chaitanya Mishra highlights in his article ‘Education Institutions and Educational Politics’, Nepali education remains rigidly formal, disconnected from individual lives and societal needs. When education is reduced to mere certificates, it fails to unlock human potential or empower people to live meaningful lives.

There are countless examples of individuals without formal education outperforming their degreed peers financially. This begs the question: Does formal education truly matter? Nepal’s education system often neglects practicality, focusing on academic credentials rather than life skills essential for career success.

Education is the state’s most crucial responsibility toward its citizens. While Nepal’s Constitution guarantees free primary education, over 75 percent of families still pay (directly or indirectly), widening the gap between private and public institutions. Accessibility alone is not enough—education must also be practical, adaptable, and high-quality.

The curriculum is designed as if students must master everything at once, leaving no room for exploration beyond textbooks. There’s also a misconception that educated individuals must hold “high-level” jobs, when education should instead cultivate better attitudes and understanding. This mindset restricts career freedom. Politicization and privatization further plague the system. Student and teacher unions should advocate for better education quality, but instead, they’ve become tools for political power struggles. Meanwhile, privatization has commercialized education, turning it into a certificate race rather than a means of real learning. Unsurprisingly, the value of the SEE (Secondary Education Examination) has plummeted over the past decade.

Manish Lamichhane

BA LLB, 8th Semester

Nepal Law Campus

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital technologies meaningfully, which includes accessing, evaluating, and navigating online information. According to one scholar, being digitally literate means knowing how to use technology responsibly.

Today’s interconnected world allows us to communicate with anyone, anywhere, using digital devices. Individuals can access vast amounts of information from the comfort of their homes in seconds. This connectivity and ease of access have also contributed to career advancement.

Despite its undeniable advantages, digital literacy comes with pitfalls. For instance, not all the information we consume daily is accurate—fake news and dis/misinformation have become major global challenges. Cybersecurity and data privacy risks are also growing concerns.

One prevalent example is social media. Researchers have found that excessive social media use among young people can hinder their holistic development. From early morning until late at night, many spend most of their time on their phones. In a study conducted at St. Xavier’s College, a lecturer asked students to track their digital usage. The results revealed that some students spent up to nine or ten hours daily on digital tools, with some admitting to gaming until 3 AM and sleeping only four hours or less—a clear sign of lacking digital awareness.

Similarly, a World Health Organization study found that over one in ten adolescents (11 percent) exhibit problematic social media behavior. Surprisingly, girls were more affected (13 percent) than boys (nine percent).

Mental health issues, educational distractions, and physical health concerns are other rising problems linked to digital overuse. Therefore, digital literacy is essential—it empowers individuals to use technology consciously and effectively, protecting them from misuse or overuse. This is a call for digital awareness: it’s not just about having digital skills but recognizing the urgent need to use them wisely.

Shelina Bal 

St Xavier’s College, Maitighar

Why do I lose the ones I love? 

Why do the things I cherish the most slip away? 

Every time I find them, they feel like home, 

Yet, in my grasp, they slowly fade  

No matter how tight I hold, they drift beyond my reach. 

Is it fate, or just a cruel coincidence? 

Or perhaps a silent whisper of God’s plans? 

I tremble, afraid to embrace what comes close, 

For loss has carved its name deep in my soul. 

They say time replaces all that is lost, 

Yet the first warmth of love, the first touch of joy 

Can never be replaced, can never be relived. 

I wish I were lucky, I wish I were lucky.

If only I had magic, I’d weave time backwards, 

Bringing back all that once made me whole. 

But all I have left are memories, 

Flickering like fireflies in the dark. 

The ones I love visit me in dreams, 

Yet never stay long enough, making me believe 

That I was ever meant to keep them. 

Supriya Paudel  

BBM, Vth Semester  

United College