Key Role
Your cover story on Ten plus Two Education: Competing for Quality (July 18-24, 2008) is very informative as it helps to know how private sector education has been playing important role to promote the quality of education. At a time when all the government colleges are highly politicized and disturbed, the private ten plus two schools have been making differences. This is a right issue and you have brought it out in the right time.
Joytsana Shrestha
Via email
Going Private
If we want to see real change in the overall quality of higher education, we must not forget that it is the only private investment that can make a difference ( Ten Plus Two Education: Competing For Quality July 18-24). It is very unfortunate to know that there are only a few people who really highlight the positive aspects of the private investment. Most people are cynical and critical to the private investment in the school education. It is true that when one invests money in schools one wants to get return and there is definitely a business interest involved in it. But that also triggers competition for quality, which is ultimately beneficial to the students.
Sushil Lama
Via email
Education Is State Responsibility
Your cover story is completely biased as you have promoted the business mentality in the education sector. Education is the fundamental right of every citizen and the duty of the government is to provide free education for all. If we allow private sector in the education like in the present day, it will definitely ruin our whole education system. Why is the magazine like Spotlight promoting the private sectors' loot in education sector? I hope you will not promote one sided story in future.
Karma Shrepa
Via email
False Slogans
It is an eye-opener cover story Decentralized Slogans: Under Centralized Leadership (July 11-17). I don't understand how the political leaders who haven't yet decentralized their political power to the grass root level suddenly will agree on devolution of state power to the grass root. Whether it is the oldest party Nepali Congress or hardcore communist party CPN-Maoist or regional parties like Madhesi Janadhikar Forum or Terai Loktantric Party, all of the leadership have centralized mentality. I have not seen any political party summoning their central party meeting before taking major decisions. Top leaders single-handedly take such decisions. In such a situation, it is ridiculous to talk about the need to have federal structure in the country.
Laxmanbabu Chaudhari
London Via email
Difficult Federalism
For a small country like Nepal, it is impossible to implement the concept of federalism. Nepal is so small that all of its regions are interdependent to each other. So, carving federal structures will create troubles, which one cannot solve. Another aspect of Nepal's challenge is that the country does not have resources to divide among them. For instance, how the federations will share the natural resource like hydro power and forest and revenue generated from tourism? One needs to discuss all these aspects before taking any major decision on issues like federalism. Federalism is not in itself a bad idea at all but how can one make it feasible for the country remains to be seen.
Naresh Limbu
Via email
Interesting Perspectives
I read the interviews of Rajendra Mahato and Ram Chandra Jha very carefully as both persons have their own arguments to strengthen their logic. Compared with Mahato who is very rigid in his stance, Jha seems practical. Jha has very solid logic that there does not exist any Madhes arguing that Nepal can be divided on the basis of languages like Mithila, Abadha and Bhojpuri in terai. I would like to request leaders like Mahato and Jha to think many times before opening their mouth.
Ashish Singh
Janakpurdham Via email
