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Dear Readers,

This week has seen significant developments on both the domestic and international fronts that deserve your attention. 

Nepal and China hosted a foreign-secretary level meeting in Kathmandu to discuss bilateral issues. Although no major breakthroughs were achieved, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong’s visit marked a significant diplomatic engagement. During his stay, he met with Nepal’s top leaders, including President Ram Chandra Paudel.

There were speculations that Nepal and China might sign a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) implementation plan during this visit. However, this did not materialize. It is possible that progress could be made during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Nepal, which is expected to take place very soon. China was keen on finalizing the agreement during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to Nepal last year. But Dahal was not interested.

Speaking in the Parliament, Prime Minister Dahal outlined Nepal’s position on BRI, which almost all major parties agree with. He said Nepal prefers grants over loans and, if loans are necessary, they should be concessional with interest rates not exceeding 1.5 percent. He also stated that Nepal seeks loans from China on terms similar to those from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. This sentiment mirrors the position of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba during his discussion with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in 2022. To date, CPN-UML Chairperson and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has not publicly detailed his views on the BRI.

We have an in-depth analysis of Prime Minister Dahal’s parliamentary address under the heading ‘PM Faces Tough Questions in Parliament’. For more details, please visit our website.  A delegation led by CPN-UML leader Bishnu Rimal visited Beijing this week—latest in the series of Nepali leaders visiting China. China’s influence in Kathmandu has increased considerably in recent times. Our feature titled ‘China’s Growing Clout in Kathmandu’ explores how China’s engagement with Nepal extends beyond the BRI.

During his parliamentary session, Prime Minister Dahal also addressed questions about issues related to India and the Russia-Ukraine war, among other topics. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha attended the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Iran, where he reaffirmed Nepal’s strong commitment to regional cooperation and multilateralism, a core foreign policy priority since the Panchayat era.

Last week, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid an official visit to India, although she had been to New Delhi a few days ago to attend Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration. Along with bilateral discussions, the two leaders addressed sub-regional and regional issues, including power trade between Nepal, India and Bangladesh. Our detailed coverage of these topics is available online under the headline ‘A Landmark in Sub-Regional Energy Cooperation’. 

After the foreign secretary-level meeting with China, Nepal is now preparing for a similar foreign-secretary-level meeting with India. These annual meetings review the full spectrum of bilateral relations.

On the domestic front, political dynamics continue to be a topic of discussion. Speculation about the stability of the current government persists, with reports indicating ongoing talks between the Nepali Congress (NC) and the UML to explore potential new government formations. Our sister publication, Annapurna Post, recently published pieces advocating for the formation of a national consensus government.

Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari returned to the political spotlight amid rumors of her renewing her UML membership. However, in a recent interview, Bhandari clarified that she has not applied for membership and that the UML has not approached her. We have analyzed this development under the heading ‘Is Bhandari Planning a Return to UML?’, concluding that while her return to active politics is possible, it is not imminent.

The government has recommended ambassadors for eight countries, with the UML selecting former bureaucrats for its quota.

Meanwhile, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) remains in the political limelight. Its General Secretary Mukul Dhakal has come up with a report describing the party as being in ‘serious illness’ and in need of a ‘major surgery’ to maintain its status as a national party. This report, which is said to be based on feedback from over 3,000 cadres across 38 districts, has given rise to significant debate within the party. Dhakal, a vocal critic of the current government and an adversary of RSP President Rabi Lamichhane, insists that RSP ministers must justify their stay in the government. There is a section in the RSP which believes the lust for power could affect its very base.

A parliamentary panel investigating the financial status of around 29 cooperatives has expedited its work. Media reports suggest that the panel is preparing to question Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane regarding his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of cooperative funds.

I will be back with more updates next week. Wishing you all a happy weekend!

Professor Bidya Nath Koirala is the former head of the Central Department of Education at Tribhuvan University. He has extensive experience in evaluating and auditing educational projects and institutions. These days he offers consultation on improving education at the grassroots level. In this column of Nepal Planner, he presents a 10-point roadmap for the education system in Nepal.

Education for all

GOs and I/NGOs implemented a number of programs to ensure education for all. Because of these efforts we have 76 percent people literate; 94 percent children are in school; gender parity index is almost one up to secondary level education. Even in higher education, the gender parity index has been improved.  And yet, neo-literates are relapsing to be illiterate in the absence of adequate programs. Only 1/3 children enrolled at grade one complete grade 12 meaning that we have huge dropouts. These dropouts require a systematic open education system for learning and hands-on skill. But the problem is that it is yet to be implemented.   

Crisis on education

Education is amalgamation of the ancestral, contemporary and the envisioned knowledge and the skills.  But the problem with us is that we fetched the idea that the West is best. This practice ignored the Vedic, Buddhist, and the Kirat’s home grown knowledge and Islamic adapted knowledge along with their daily practices.  This made us the knower of 1/3 knowledge. The skills that we inherited did not get a chance to be developed. The knowledge that we inherited did not get a chance to be linked up with the dominant skills that we value. The home grown pedagogy of shravan, manana and nididhyasan of the Hindus, Buddhists and Kirats are replaced; the pedagogy that Mahabharat taught i.e. learn 1⁄4 from Guru, 1⁄4 from friends, 1⁄4 from available experts, and 1⁄4 from personal experience is sidelined.

SDG

Sustainable development goal is the much talked about and little done business in Nepal.  The reason is that we ignored the culturally sustained knowledge and skills. Take the examples of passing the Puranic knowledge, culturally learnt farming system, ancestrally transferred health care system etc.  Dalan of Madhesh and Dabali of Kathmandu, Rodhi of Hills and tea serving of the Mountain are some of the sustained examples. Bonpo of Tamang, Thakali of Thak Khola, Badghar of Tharu, and Maijan of Madheshi group are the cultural rulers.  But they don’t get space in Palika leadership. This implies that we talk more about SDG and do less to sustain them through educational processes.    

Government commitment

The rulers always mention their commitment of education for all, free and compulsory education, skills for all, research in higher education, training for teachers, deprivatization of education, departicization in education etc. But they lack institutional memory and the accountability to translate the commitment into action. Among others, the low literacy rate of Madhes and Karnali Province are examples of it.     

Challenges and threats

Words are enough in Nepal. They appear in the form of policy, planning documents, and speeches of the ruling governments.  But the challenge is to translate these words into action by being rational.  For instance, the country invests about 14 percent of the national budget to the army and police force and allots 11 percent of its budget in education. Contrary to it, each of the ruling and the potential ruling parties champions for 20 percent investment in education. Interestingly none of the ruling parties implemented compulsory saving of all the people and mobilized that money for the development of the country and later on, used that money for entrepreneurship development programs.  

Our educational situation

We imported education from the West via India in the hope that it would give employment opportunities. But this truth of 1956 has been changed: the current narrative says that education turned out as a producer of unemployed and underemployed graduates. Here again a question arises about the training and education, are we seeking for training if yes, we can promote short term training and Youtube based training. If we are seeking an academic course, we can help academize the context, content, method and evaluation system. If we are looking for the blend of training and education or vice versa, we can enable teachers and students to make digital and non-digital books in place and use them.  Here I see that we are trapped in confusion.    

Neighbor support

China valued its cognitive culture to educate the people. India inherited and built on the Gurukul system of education. It also continued the British imposed education system as well. But Nepal fetched many things from the donor and the loaner countries eventually making a junkyard of many ideas. This means we failed to link our education system with the homegrown seeds. We also failed to create the culture of the fetched ideas. Semester system, continuous assessment system, letter grading system are some examples as they are yet to be implemented as that of the west.  

Supporting vulnerable communities

Nepal followed a blanket approach to support the children of the vulnerable communities. Sanitary pad for all; mid day meal for all, textbooks for all are some of the examples. But we failed to apply the concept of equity instead we introduced the concept of equality in resource constrained countries like Nepal. This approach did not do justice to the vulnerable community as they get less in comparison to what they need. For example, Dalits and the children of the marginalized community need additional support and/or their parents require a self sustained job. In both the requirements, we are yet to think.  

Success stories

Success stories are scattered here and there. Some cases are reported in the media but there has been no systematic information about the success stories of students at local, provincial and national level governments. Increased educational access to the differently able children, earning skills while learning, scholarship support for the poor children are some of the success stories.  But they are yet to be documented in a systematic way for public consumption.  

Way forward

Firstly, linking the indigenous knowledge with the western knowledge and enabling the students for a hybridized education system is the need of the day to promote glocalization (blend of local with global)  in education. Secondly, we have culturally inherited skills. They have STEAMS (science, technology, engineering, art, math, and science) together. Teachers need to recognize them and link them with the curriculum and the textbooks.  At the same time they need to provide entrepreneurship skills and compulsory personal saving to their students. Thirdly, teachers need self assessment skills and make them professional. Fourthly, teachers belong to the analogue generation and they are supposed to teach to the students of the digital generation. This generation gap between the teachers and the students needs to be bridged by enabling students to be researchers; research in the mobile, research with the parents, research with the classmates, seniors and juniors, and self reflective research. Fifthly, teachers need to be updated digitally and their best activities need to be digitally documented in the local level’s website portals.

“Gaun Aayeko Bato (A road to a village)” is a story following the advent of a roadway to a remote village in the eastern hill of Nepal. It presents the social changes brought by this infrastructural development, particularly in the lives of Maila Rai, a bamboo weaver, and his family. The movie begins with the worship of the bus that has reached the village for the first time followed by the inauguration of the “Lahure Store.” With it begins the marketization of the village, whose primary victim is Bindre, Maila Rai’s son.

‘Gaun Aayeko Bato’ depicts the unbidden invasion of consumerism and capitalism into the remote corners of the country tailing along with roads and buses. The notions of consumerism and capitalism climb the shoulders of their sister idea of development bolstered by the neoliberal projects. Maila Rai sacrificed his land and labor to pave the roadway to the village. However, as the materialist goods enter the village in those buses, his skills are rendered useless. His bamboo crafts are soon replaced by industrial goods produced in an assembly line, forcing him to seek out alternative means of production. Moreover, overlooking the conflicting timeframe of the events in the movie, coca-cola and noodles can be viewed as the representatives of consumer culture. Bindre’s demands for these items as bribes to attend his school highlights how smoothly consumer culture worms its way into the lives of people.

In addition, as depicted in the movie, infrastructure development is just one facet of capitalist and industrial colonization. Our lives and societal norms are inflicted by technological colonization in addition to industrial and capitalist colonization. As we navigate our way into the new terrain dominated by technology, the technological assimilation into the cultural and social framework is a challenge faced by today’s society. And not even the remotest villages have remained unaltered by this paradigm shift. Living among machines and accepting them as a part of our social fabric was the inescapable reality of the late twentieth century. In a similar vein, the twenty-first century is remodeling itself to accommodate Artificial Intelligence as a part of social structure. Although Maila Rai’s village is far from the introduction of Artificial Intelligence and is just getting in touch with the twentieth century’s innovations like television and smartphones, the pathway cannot be much different for it.

The movie seems to consolidate neoliberalism and brings to the fore its effects on social hierarchy and the rise of defeatist mentality in the people belonging to the lower social standing. At times, Maila Rai is overcome with grief for not being able to provide a respectable life for his family resulting from his unwillingness to be a part of the labor migration leaving his beloved wife and his son behind. As is true of many people in this country, labor migration to the gulf countries stands as the necessary evil harnessed to bring prosperity and wealth to the household, and along with it social recognition. However, be it intentional or resulting from a no-choice situation, workforce migration consolidates the pessimistic attitude of the people who fail to follow that path.

“Gaun Aayeko Bato” is a story of transition, its conflicts and challenges, as the old order and model of our societies are disintegrating and new realities are being constructed. There’s a dichotomy between the indigenous modes of survival and the nationalist ideas of development. The modern notion of development doesn’t provide the necessary space to the indigenous skills and ways of life. While their skills undergo redundancy, the nation fails to tackle this situation. Social policies can mitigate it through retraining and redeployment. The need of the authority to rethink about the future of work and to include indigenous knowledge systems into the developmental framework can be learned from the movie. We have moved past the agricultural revolution, industrial revolution and the corporate revolution. The next revolution will be technological. Yet, similar to the past revolutions, the technological revolution will entail a social revolution, and we should be prepared for this transition.

Nonetheless, the resistance exhibited by Maila Rai against the forces of slavery is highly commendable. Rai discards the illegal way of making money suggested and supported by the capitalist people and follows his skills, although resulting in a failure. This act of resistance is true of many indigenous communities in different parts of the world. Social resistance as such question the existing power structures, mobilizes public opinion, brings attention to the social injustices and systemic problems, and fosters a sense of solidarity, thereby pressuring the policy makers to address the concerns raised by resistance movements.

However, the movie falls short in exposing the social dynamics of the village. As most of the plot revolves around the family dynamics of Maila Rai’s family, the role of society at large isn’t given enough space in the movie. The family often seems detached from the society, particularly in the events following the devastating fate of Bindre’s life, which obviously was a bit overstretched for dramatic effect. This detachment makes the story come off as fragmented. Moreover, despite having the elements required to turn it into a triumphant movie, it is forced to be a tragic one. The financial aspect of the production and the likeliness of the audience to savor the emotionally tragic storyline could be the determining factor.

All things considered, “Gaun Aayeko Bato” is a good watch. It can contribute to the ongoing discussions regarding the notion of development, social resistance, the future of work, technological assimilation, and many such ideas, while simultaneously initiating new discussions pertinent to our social construction. Also, the outstanding acting of Dayahang Rai as Maila Rai, Pashupati Rai as Maili Rai, and Prasan Rai as Bindre Rai is an icing on a cake.

Ranjana Niraula is a writer, editor and poet based in Kathmandu. She has written and published three poetry books and an essay collection, and has been honored with several awards, including ‘Golden Heart International Award 2022 (Kazakhstan), KLF Book award, 2023 (India), Nayirajat Medal 2022, Nepal, and East West Literature Honor 2021 (Bangladesh. Ken Subedi conversed with Niraula on books, literature and the literary festivals.

What types of books do you like to read? Which genre attracts you the most and why?

I love reading literary books more because these books provide a deep understanding of academic language, style, and plot construction. Reading classics, modern literature, and books written in different genres helps a writer learn different writing techniques and structures. This makes the writing rich and multi-faceted. The depth of thought found in literary works, the exploration of human nature, and the timeless stories provide inspiration and creativity to a writer. The study of literary and philosophical works helps to understand the power of words and the artistry of writing, the world of life, which brings originality and depth to writing.

I like to read philosophical books because they enrich our minds, increase our logical powers and encourage deeper exploration of both the world and ourselves. But poetry is my favorite genre and I enjoy reading essays as well. 

Poetry and essays are different in nature. How do you come to write essays after penning a lot of poems?

First of all I wrote a poem. It was officially published in the Nepal newspaper in 2001. Poetry is often short and concise, conveying deep feelings in fewer words, so for me personally, it seems easier than other forms of writing. Essays are detailed and lengthy, presenting in-depth analysis and reasoning of ideas, and require slightly more attention. So my poems were published in book form at first. The essays came later. 

As the director of Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival, what is your opinion regarding the literary festivals in Nepal?

I think literary festivals should be held in numbers. Based on my experiences, literary festivals are necessary for several reasons as they offer many benefits to various stakeholders, including authors, readers, and the broader community. Literary festivals play a crucial role in promoting literature, fostering cultural exchange, supporting the literary community, and stimulating intellectual and economic growth. They enrich both individuals and communities, making them valuable and necessary components of cultural life.

How is Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival different from other literary festivals?

Literary festivals give knowledge and joy. Almost all festivals have this aim. A little more than other literary festivals, we conduct interviews with foreign writers and artists, so that international writers can listen to our writings and we can listen to them. And we encourage literature in different languages ​​in different forums. Promoting Nepali literature abroad is also the objective of Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival.

In your opinion, how can we globalize Nepali literature?

Based on the fact that I have joined many literary festivals, I can say that literary festivals promote literature, art and culture in one way or another. Globalizing Nepali literature requires a multifaceted approach that includes translating works into major world languages, promoting participation in international literary festivals, utilizing digital platforms and social media for wider reach, fostering academic and cultural exchanges, and seeking recognition through international literary awards. Collaborating with international publishers and literary agents, engaging with global media for coverage, and obtaining support from government and cultural organizations are also essential. By leveraging these strategies, Nepali literature can be introduced and appreciated by a global audience, enriching the world's literary diversity with its unique narratives.

Why should literature enthusiasts in Nepal join the upcoming Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival?

I say that all literature lovers, art lovers, readers, writers, and publishers should attend the upcoming Kathmandu-Kalinga Literary Festival that is being held on Sept 7-8. Literary festivals are where writers, readers, and publishers can meet face to face. You can listen to conversations and ask questions. It is a wonderful forum for literature enthusiasts and everyone should take advantage.