Submit your Article

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has pointed out the need of making timely reforms in the educational curriculum to stop the brain drain.

Prime Minister Dahal expressed such a view while addressing the 12th Convocation Ceremony of the Purbanchal University today.

"It is necessary to make drastic changes in curriculum to stop intellectual brain drain by boosting the sentiment among youth-students of doing something for the nation staying here", he explained.   

The PM stressed, "Curriculum should be prepared keeping technology-based innovation and research on top priority. There is a need for professional education linking with prosperity."  

Stating that the country could not achieve prosperity without participation of youths, he laid emphasis on youth-targeted entrepreneurship and innovation as well as increasing production and creating employment through human resources development.

The country is looking at youths' passion, skill, knowledge and capacity and seeking their contribution, the Prime Minister said, "The country can benefit from 40 per cent youths of the total population of the country and we should utilize this historic opportunity."

He further said it was necessary to change the existing educational system and situation of educational unemployment created by the existing educational system, and directed the schools and universities to impart technical and skill oriented education as educational institutions have been imparting knowledge in a traditional way.

Prime Minister Dahal added that the government has shown special attention to increase people's access to quality health service and education.

"The Purbanchal University should bring a medical college into operation by constructing necessary structures at its premises and quality health services should be provided to the people of this area", he mentioned.

The PM explained, "The Purbanchal University got the permission to run the medical college at my initiatives. I will take the initiative to provide affordable and quality health services to the people of this area in the coming days."

The Industry, Commerce, Labor and Consumer Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives has instructed the government to take steps to ensure that Nepali workers employed abroad get to exercise their right to vote in periodic elections.  

The committee meeting held at Singhadurbar on Thursday instructed the government to take steps for securing abroad-based Nepalis’ right to vote, noting that a large number of Nepalis are outside the country.

According to the National Population and Housing Census-2021, 7.5 percent of the national population of roughly 29m is living abroad. Out of the 2.1m people based abroad, 82.2 percent are male and 17.8 percent female.

The issue of voting rights of Nepali migrant workers has been a topic of discussions for quite some time. In 2018, the Supreme Court issued a directive ordering the government to draft a law enabling eligible Nepali nationals based abroad to vote. More than 100 countries, including 28 African countries, respect the voting rights of their migrant citizens.

The meeting also instructed the government to identify Nepali workers stranded abroad because of war and other reasons, and take immediate action for their rescue and repatriation.

Abdul Khan, the committee chair, informed that the meeting instructed the Minister for Labor to put an end to all kinds of fraud in foreign employment by regularly monitoring and inspecting manpower companies.

Furthermore, the committee directed the ministry to spend funds allocated to it more effectively, describing the utilization of the budget allocated for the current fiscal year as ‘disappointing’, even as Dol Prasad Acharya, Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, said the offices related to foreign employment were delivering services smoothly.

Those willing to go for foreign employment can get labor permits within an hour through the online system, he said.

Committee members also drew the ministry’s serious attention toward instances of manpower agencies cheating Nepali workers heading for foreign employment. They urged the government to focus on solving migrant workers’ problems.

Vice-President (South, Central and West Asia) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Yingming Yang, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

During the meeting held at the official residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar today, they discussed the issues of economic development of Nepal and upcoming investment summit, according to the Prime Minister Dahal's Secretariat.

On the occasion, PM Dahal said Nepal is the appropriate destination for investment, adding there is ADB's significant investment in Nepal's physical infrastructure development.

He shared that Nepal would present effective and investment-worthy projects in the investment summit taking place in Nepal.

"The government has built an appropriate environment for investment by making legal and policy-level revision. It is the best opportunity for investment in Nepal", underscored PM Dahal.

Stating that ADB was ready to invest in Nepal's strategic projects, Vice-President Yang explained that the ADB would prepare a strategy to further invest in Nepal in the coming days.  

Dr Rupak Sapkota, Foreign Affairs advisor to PM Dahal, high-ranking officials of ADB in Nepal were present on the occasion.

China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Chairman Luo Zhaohui called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Baluwatar on Friday.

During the meeting, they discussed economic development of Nepal and upcoming Nepal Investment Summit, the Prime Minister's foreign advisor Dr Rupak Spakota informed.

On the occassion, Prime Minister Dahal said that the recent high-level visits between Nepal and China have enhanced the relations between the two countries and implementation of agreements has also been accelerated.

"More border points between Nepal and China have come into operation. This has brought relief to the people living near the border areas. I have also found that Chinese investors have also shown interest in the investment summit to be held in Nepal.

Chairman Zhaohui said that Chinese investors are interested to invest in the construction of Nepal's power transmission line and in the feasibility study of Tokha-Chhare tunnel.