Just as the country was beginning to focus on educating its people and making some progress, relentless assaults from violent elements have thrown the system off the track. In recent years, the education sector has become a favorite target of such violence. Whether it is arson and vandalism in the capital’s private schools or the brutal killing of teachers in remote villages, the sector is facing an all-out attack. Reports of a five-day general shutdown to coincide with the all-important SLC examinations have raised fresh concerns about the motives behind the disruption. Unless the education sector is shielded from violence, the progress the country has made in the last five decades could disappear without a trace.
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
Swarms of young girls in bright red dresses and wearing transparent green headscarves crowded into Amani High School in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday (March 23). It was the first time they attended school after the Taliban regime banned education for girls five years ago.
There are an estimated 4.4 million school-age children in Afghanistan. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched a countrywide campaign to encourage parents to send their children to school, registering 1.5 million children for the new year.
School, children : Eroding environment
School, children : Eroding environment
As Afghanistan’s new government is attempting to put education back on track after two decades of national turmoil, Nepalese officials are struggling to save their schools from Taliban-style attacks and other manifestations of violence.
A little over a month ago, a band of Maoists ransacked the building of Lord Buddha School in the capital, destroying computers and other facilities. Nearly a year ago, in a series of attacks on educational institutions, the Maoist-affiliated student group had vandalized Elites Co-ed, Modern Indian, Rupy’s International and other schools. They organized a week-long closure of schools across the country. Recently, a young boy in the eastern district of Sankhuwasabha discovered a quaint object on his school premises. As he was trying to figure out what it was, the bomb exploded, instantly killing the boy.
Reports that the Maoists have announced a five-day general shutdown strikes to coincide with this year’s School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations has triggered fresh fears in the minds of students and parents. Almost 260,000 examinees across the country will be affected if the extended strike actually takes place. “Apart from physical inconvenience, there will be tremendous psychological impact to students whose attention will now get diverted from their studies,” said a teacher.
Students in villages and outlying districts, too, are facing the fallout of this culture of violence. In many district headquarters and surrounding areas, there are reports that security forces ask the local people to turn off their lights for security reasons. This has led to a situation where students cannot study after dusk.
It is not for nothing that the UNICEF country representative to Nepal, Stewart McNab, made a statement asking all parties concerned to make education “a zone of peace”. He publicly appealed to all to keep education out of violent politics. Parents, teachers, students and many others share his sentiments.
Terrorized Teachers
Thanks to the insurgency, teaching has become one of the most dangerous professions in Nepal. Twenty eight teachers have been deliberately killed by the Maoists so far ó nine of them since the state of emergency was declared in late November last year — and dozens of others have been maimed, stated Amnesty International (AI) in a press release more than a month ago.
After Muktinath Adhikary, acting headmaster at the Panini Sanskrit Secondary School and convenor of AI local group in Lamjung, was brutally murdered by Maoists while he was teaching, the London-based human rights watchdog, in a public appeal addressed to the leadership of CPN (Maoists), condemned in the strongest terms the execution-style killings and maiming of scores of teachers.
According to Father Jim Donnelly, an experienced educator who had taught at the prestigious St. Xavier’s school for the last four decades, the violence is doing an irreparable harm. “We are terrorized. The country is being brought down. You cannot tell where these terrorists are going to strike next. Recently, the Maoists damaged computers and other education materials of two schools in the capital. Now, that is pure terrorism. Moreover, the psychological effect is hurting the sector over the long term,” he said (see box interview).
Teachers’ associations have been demanding extra security for their members. As the government is engaged in an all-out offensive against Maoists, the latter are hunting for ësoft targets’ like teachers. The government maintains it is sensitive to the problems of teachers. “The ministry has made new provisions under which teachers who feel threatened can be transferred to safer locations at the recommendation of the Chief District Officer, District Education Officer and security authorities,” says Yubaraj Pandey, spokesperson at the Ministry of Education and Sports (see box interview). “Moreover, the government’s security agencies have stepped up security at schools and other educational institutions.”
“It has been a tradition in this country to exploit students and teachers for political purposes,” says Krishna Bikram Thapa, executive director of the Malpi Institute, a leading private school. “However, rather than politics, the Maoists are triggering violence. Due to their violent tactics many good Christian schools in districts like Gorkha, Baglung have closed down,” he says.
Big Upset
Nepal had made tremendous progress in educating its citizens over the last five decades. The general literacy rate has jumped from 2 percent in 1950 to around 50 percent today. Government investment in the sector has increased considerably, reaching around 15 percent of the total annual budget. More than five million students are enrolled in primary and secondary level schools. Enrollment in higher education, too, is growing by an average of nine percent a year.
Similarly, big strides had been made in the development of education infrastructure. Access to schools had improved substantially. The average walk from home to school now takes about half an hour. Every Village Development Committee (VDC) has at least a couple of schools. There are 25,599 schools in the country, of which 8,547 are private ones. (Education Statistics of Nepal 1999)
The recently passed 7th Amendment to the Education Act, too, has introduced a number of provisions to improve the education system. “The 7th Amendment to the Education Act is one step towards correcting the mistakes we made in the past,” says Professor Dr. Mana Prasad Wagley, a leading education expert (see box interview).
“The provision of mandatory teaching license will definitely help in promoting quality. The system of electing parents to the school managing committee will encourage their direct involvement in education. This will ultimately help in maintaining minimum ethical standards in schools. The new measures have attempted to streamline teachers’ activities in a professional line. The regulatory framework for private schools is another move towards encouraging discipline. However, there is some controversy about the 1.5- percent tax on the total transaction of private schools in order to create a Village Education Development Fund and the tax they have to pay again based on their income. This cannot be considered just.”.
He, however, criticizes the lack of adequate investment in the education sector and blames it for the poor quality of public education. “Studies show that primary education, in order to maintain minimum standards, requires US$32 per student per year. But the government is hardly providing $22. The case is even worse for the secondary level, it requires $73 per student per year and the investment is only $33. How can you maintain quality in such a situation?”
“This is another evidence why the foreign assistance has not been helpful in developing educational quality in Nepal. The money spent on literacy and non-formal education is just like pouring water in the sand. The literacy program is making more illiterates. On the one hand, they add fake names in the register to show the number and get the money. On the other, they don’t have continuing and post literacy programs, which will turn literates into illiterates within a few years. The government’s claim of 57 percent literacy cannot be believed. The actual rate is below 40 percent.”
With the increasing intensity of violent intervention, all these achievements could be undone. Already the government is cutting down expenditure on development and using it for security enhancement. Although the government had earmarked around Rs. 14 billion for education sector out of the total annual budget of 99 billion rupees (for the fiscal year 2001/2002), a significant portion of the allocations could be diverted to the security budget.
“The ministry is attempting to end the situation of uncertainty. However, violence and insurgency are gripping the whole country. The ministry’s attempts to solve this problem are not separate from those of the government,” says Pandey.
While much of the world is making big strides in development through education, Nepalese students are being subjected to violence that could set back the country’s progress by several years. Few, if any, know whether sanity will prevail in time for education to get back on track. But the country can clearly hear the clock ticking.
‘The Ministry Is Attempting To End Today’s Uncertainty’
—YUBARAJ PANDEY
Yubaraj Pandey is the spokesperson at the Ministry of Education. He spoke to SANJAYA DHAKAL on the major issues confronting Nepal’s education system. Excerpts:
How is the government looking at the anarchy-like situation in the education sector resulting from violence and insurgency?
The Ministry of Education and Sports is very sensitive to the problems of the education sector. The ministry is attempting to end the situation of uncertainty. However, violence and insurgency are gripping the whole country. The ministry’s attempts to solve this problem are not separate from those of the government.
The education sector is a key target of the insurgency, with many teachers have being killed and maimed. Does the government have any plan to provide extra security to teachers?
The ministry has made new provisions under which teachers who feel threatened can be transferred to safer location at the recommendation of the Chief District Officer, District Education Officer and security authorities. Moreover, the government’s security agencies have stepped up security at schools and other educational institutions.
How serious is the threat of violence in the education sector?
This is a problem faced by the entire country. So the education sector cannot remain unaffected. There are thousands of schools in the country where tens of thousands of students study. Any disturbance, therefore, can affect a large section of the population. The ministry is trying to coordinate its efforts with those of the government, which is working hard to solve this problem.
Recent news reports suggest that donor agencies want to change the school curricula. At the same time, there is a growing feeling that frequent changes could be counterproductive. What do you say?
I don’t think the issues of stability and policy reforms are contradictory. One cannot oppose moves to bring about timely improvements in the curricula. However, reform for the sake of reform should be discouraged. The ministry is sensitive to this matter. The fifth education development plan has begun and donors are assisting in the formulation of a human resource development plan. If such studies undertaken with the assistance of donors point to any weaknesses in the existing curriculum, the ministry can work on that. However, it is not interested in changes that could further destabilize the sector.
The change in the academic calendar has been blamed for the instability in school education. How is the situation now?
I believe the situation has now become stable.
What are the salient features of the 7th Amendment to the Education Act?
The ministry believes the 7th amendment will resolve some fundamental problems the education sector is facing. One of its salient features is the requirement of teaching license. Anyone wanting to become a teacher has to get a license. Secondly, it has introduced a system under which the president and three members (including one woman) of the school management committee will have to be elected by parents/guardians. There will be nine-member school management committee drawing members from the local community. Parents will have a decisive place in such committees. Thirdly, the amendment has allowed schools to charge fees from students based on certain standards like grades and facilities. In fact, even private schools will be classified based on these standards and would have to fix their fees accordingly. Earlier, the government’s policy was to provide free education up to secondary level, but there was a tendency to charge students under different pretexts. This amendment has kept primary education free and has permitted schools to charge certain fees from secondary-level students. However, schools cannot charge any fee from students coming from families that are below the line of absolute poverty. Likewise, the amendment has created a Village Education Committee for each VDC. These committees will be responsible for raising the standard of education. The provision of parents-teachers associations is another important feature of the amendment. In order to end the politicization of the sector, the amendment has created a single teachers’ union that will be active at the central and district levels. Another significant feature of the amendment is the setting up of the Rural Education Development Fund (REDF). Institutional schools will be required to provide at least 1.5 percent of their total income every year to the fund. The money will be used to develop rural education infrastructure.
How can the quality of education in public schools be improved?
The government believes such provisions of the 7th Amendment Act as the REDF, teacher license, community management and village education committees will help to improve the quality of education in public schools. Besides, the government is keen to develop vocational education and training to bring about positive changes in this sector.
‘I Want To See The Country Develop Through Good Education’
— Fr JIM DONNELLY
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Father Jim Donnelly is one of the most senior and respected teachers of St. Xavier’s School, which has been providing quality education to thousands of Nepalese over the last five decades. A 73-year-old veteran, Father Donnelly has been teaching in Nepal since 1961. He recently retired from active teaching. American by birth, he has made Nepal his second home. “I believe in what I am doing. I want to die here and be buried in Godavari,” says Father Donnelly. A person with tons of experience in Nepal’s education sector, Father Donnelly spoke to SANJAYA DHAKAL. Excerpts:
How do you assess the progress of Nepal’s education sector over the last few decades?
I have witnessed a lot of manpower developed. Many people have received various kinds of training. The New Education System Plan (NESP), back in 1970s, had inspiring aims, but it did not succeed because the groundwork was not prepared. But there were brilliant people like Mohammad Mohasin and Thakur Man Shakya, who were involved in the NESP. Their concept was good, but the implementation was bad. Meanwhile, from 1974 until 1977 every school had to be Nepali-medium. Slowly but surely it eroded and private schools got back on track after they were allowed to operate in English medium as well. This led to the emergence of scores of real leaders in education sector. Schools like Shubha Tara, Galaxy, Little Angels, GEMS and so on came up. I have great respect for the teachers who are imparting excellent education. All of us believe in quality education. We support what the Ministry of Education wants and what these private schools are doing. I am really proud to hear of achievements by Nepalese. My motivation is to develop the country and I want to see it happen through good education.
How do you see the violence and insurgency that has been affecting the education system?
I am unhappy with all that’s happening with the Maoist trouble. The Maoist insurgency is doing no good. I am anti-Maoist and pro-monarchy. I believe in our king, country and the constitution. The ministers could be better, but I believe they are the vehicles we have to work with to build the country. I support everything that our country is trying to do through the recognized system beginning with the constitution and the constitutional monarch. King Gyanendra is absolutely the best person for the country. It was too bad that
during the change of 1990, the monarchy was trimmed down practically to zero. King Gyanendra has excellent education. A strong and committed man now in his 50s, he is the right man there. Over the years through his business contacts, he knows how to get things done.
How much is this violence affecting the education sector?
It is doing irreparable harm. We are terrorized. The country is being brought down. You cannot tell where these terrorists are going to strike next. Recently, the Maoists damaged computers and other education materials of two schools in the capital. Now, that is pure terrorism. Moreover, the psychological effect is hurting the sector over the long term.
What are your views on public education?
I don’t have much knowledge about it. I interacted with different commissions and government agencies during the 1970s. I was also on some textbook and syllabus committees. Then, good things were being discussed about improving the quality of education. I want to see public education succeed. Anybody who takes up a book and tries to teach 40/50 students deserves our blessings. They are doing what the country needs. We, at St. Xavier’s, conducted training program for teachers. The St. Xavier’s campus is going to start a course on training teachers. That will probably be a big help for the country. It is also important that the education we impart include moral training so that students will learn to help the helpless and disadvantaged groups in society. Besides, providing free education, at least up to the primary level, is very important. As our resources do not allow us to make education free up to the higher level, we need to make sacrifices to make it free at least up to the primary level.
Could you tell us something about St. Xavier’s School’s contributions to education in Nepal?
Our contributions are mainly the people that we have turned out. We have 3,000 students that have gone through this school — most of them have already graduated. We have taught them to be independent thinkers and to be professional-minded. It is a matter of great pride that our students are in leading positions in many spheres like medicine, engineering, army and teaching. Whenever I suffer from health problems, I go to my students who have become the best in their respective fields. Our students have gravitated to the top. Except for politics, our boys have become successful in every field of life.
‘Politicians And Bureaucrats Should Be Educated First’
— Prof. Dr. MANA WAGLEY
Professor Dr. Mana Prasad Wagley is an expert in education. He spoke to SANJAYA DHAKAL on the challenges before Nepal’s education system. Excerpts:
How do you assess the state of education in Nepal?
The present state of the country is very discouraging. Nepal still has not been able to develop education as a system. The dropout rate at the primary level is still alarming. Secondary education has not been able to develop skills in students. Private schools are promoting rote memorization. The SLC results show that the country has wasted much of the investment in education. Even SLC toppers are finding trouble coping with higher secondary education. The wastage in higher secondary education is more than 60 percent. The situation of higher education is even worse. On average, the wastage is about 80 percent. Millions of dollars in loans has been spent in training teachers, but the situation in schools is worsening. We have signed another $1.5 billion loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank for the same purpose without correcting past mistakes. The situation of other quality input like instructional materials and support services, too, is extremely poor. From all this, it is clear that the government has been looking only for money and does not have the slightest idea of what is happening in education. The politicians and bureaucrats should be educated first. Again, the money spent on literacy and non-formal education is just like pouring water in the sand. They don’t have continuing and post literacy programs, which will turn literates into illiterates within a few years. The government’s claim of 57 percent literacy cannot be believed. The actual rate is below 40 percent.
What are your views on the 7th Amendment to the Education Act? How would it help to develop education?
The 7th Amendment to the Education Act is one step towards correcting the mistakes we made in the past. The provision of mandatory teaching license will definitely help in promoting quality. The system of electing parents to the school managing committee will encourage their direct involvement in education. This will ultimately help in maintaining minimum ethical standards in schools. The new measures have attempted to streamline teachers’ activities in a professional line. The regulatory framework for private schools is another move towards encouraging discipline. However, there is some controversy about the 1.5- percent tax on the total transaction of private schools in order to create a Village Education Development Fund and the tax they have to pay again based on their income. This cannot be considered just.
Recent news reports suggest plans are afoot to change the curriculum. Do you think such a change is appropriate now?
Curricular changes take place very often because of the money allocated by the educational projects. It is only to spend the money and not to improve quality. From the past 15 years’ experience, we have seen that merely changing the curriculum has not helped improve the system. We changed the curriculum at primary level, and the result is that most of the primary school teachers do not understand what they are teaching. We changed the secondary school curriculum, and the result is that the SLC failure rate increased from 55 percent to 70 percent. We changed the curriculum at the higher secondary level, and the result is discouraging. A similar situation exists in the higher education curriculum. This shows that changing curriculum alone is not the solution. The recently developed second secondary education development plan by the Asian Development Bank proposes a curricular change. This is a joke. Can we develop education this way? Never. Unless we provide quality teachers with regular monitoring mechanism, we can never improve.
What immediate and long-term steps are necessary to improve the sector?
The government should really think seriously about education. As an agricultural country, we have to produce manpower that can contribute to better production. This should be given priority. The present system of education should be overhauled. There should be at least one model school (k-12) in each electoral sector with good teachers and facilities, which in turn, can work as a resource center for other schools at the periphery. These schools should be made residential on the basis of social equity and the government should be fully committed. Only then could the country get the quality manpower it needs for development. The existing pattern of running schools is not helping at all. Schools and colleges should be run by the private sector in partnership with the government.