“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” said Nelson Mandela. But in Nepal, education has become more about business than learning.
It is often said that education and health are the most profitable sectors. This is because everyone wants a better life. However, this has also led to problems. Government schools have trained teachers, but many schools are not performing well.
In colleges, qualified teachers are present, but some are not fully committed. Due to low salaries, they spend more time teaching in private institutions. This affects students in public institutions.
Because of this, families who can afford it send their children abroad or to expensive private schools. Students, on the other hand, are also changing. Many are no longer interested in deep learning. Instead of reading full books, they look for shortcuts.
Bulky textbooks with detailed commentaries and analytical content are often left untouched in bookstores and libraries. These days, many students prefer shortcuts—relying on guides and brief handouts just to pass exams. At the same time, some institutes in the market are engaged in writing theses for students in exchange for money. Such practices seriously undermine the quality and integrity of education. These thesis-writing centers and guidebook-based learning practices should also be strictly regulated, if not banned altogether. Still, guides at the school level should be banned to encourage students to rely on proper textbooks and develop conceptual learning.
In this context, recent steps taken by Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel offer some hope. His efforts to maintain the academic calendar, conduct exams on time, and publish results promptly are positive moves. The plan to publish the 10th board exam results within a month, as well as the decision to ban political activities and student political groups in colleges and universities, are important steps. These actions will not only improve academic credibility but also help create a better and more productive environment in educational institutions.
Today, students talk more about politics than studies. Those connected to political groups are seen as powerful, even if they are not good in academics. This creates division and distracts students from education.
The decision to allow students to study up to bachelor’s level without citizenship is also very positive. Education should be for everyone. However, more work is needed. The Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2018 says that private schools must provide some seats for poor students.
Time to energize local levels
Nepal’s Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2018 provides that 10 percent of seats must be reserved for scholarship in schools with up to 500 students, 12 percent in schools with up to 800 students, and 15 percent in schools with more than 800 students. This legal provision should be strictly enforced. However, many boarding schools have yet to implement this requirement.
Local governments also need to do more. They should keep proper records of how many children are in school and how many are not. They should work to reduce dropouts. Teaching in local languages at early levels can help children learn better.
Politics in government schools
School Management Committees (SMCs) were created to improve schools, but some are accused of favoritism and misuse of power. It is alleged that many SMCs prioritize appointing their near and dear ones instead of selecting the most competent and deserving candidates. They are also accused of interference in school affairs, often treating the institution as their personal domain. This needs to be corrected. Many people believe that SMCs have done more harm than good, causing disruption rather than bringing meaningful change.
There are other areas for improvement.
Principals should be selected through open competition, not just seniority. Teachers should get regular training. Government teachers should focus only on their schools and avoid private tutoring. The School Improvement Plan (SIP), which every school is required to prepare, has largely remained limited to paper and has not been effectively implemented in practice. There should be no political interference in the appointment of principals, and selection should be based solely on merit.
Education is a shared responsibility of teachers, students, and society. If all work together, Nepal’s education system can improve.
Way forward
The time has come to focus on quality, not profit. Nepal’s Education Minister, Sashmit Pokhrel, has shown courage by working to maintain the academic calendar.
In addition, it is high time to break the hold of private education mafias. The ministry should go further by ensuring that private schools strictly follow government rules, provide teachers with salaries and benefits, at least, comparable to government standards, and charge fees that are affordable for students. There must be stronger monitoring of private education operators so that they do not function like unruly forces without accountability.
Moreover, Nepal’s education system lacks a proper balance between theory and practice. Students graduating with degrees often have strong theoretical knowledge but lack the skills to apply it in real-life situations. Therefore, Nepal’s education system should prioritize practical exposure and employment-oriented learning to make education more useful and job-ready.
Nepal’s education system should go beyond teaching that food is essential for survival; it should also include practical life skills such as cooking.
It is high time we changed the narrative that education and health are the most profitable businesses in Nepal. They should be seen first and foremost as essential public services.
The author is a faculty member of Law at Manmohan Technical University, Biratnagar
