PU committed to quality education

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 10 - Purbanchal University (PU) is committed to quality education and is providing affiliation to some selected colleges only, said its Registrar here yesterday.

Speaking at a programme organised by Acme Technical Institute, an engineering college affiliated to PU, Dr KP Sharma, the Registrar of the University said, " We, as a University aren't limited just to the eastern region (as the name suggests) and are   selective before giving affiliation."

Sharma said they want to promote healthy competition and break monopoly in the education sector by giving affiliation to standard institutes only.

"If the affiliates violate the rules and regulations of the University, their affiliation will be cancelled then and there," Sharma added. "We are concentrating in the Capital city at the moment since it is possible to provide quality education here."

Political leaders should understand that education sector can really excel in Nepal if developed as an industry, he added.

Until now, PU has given affiliation to 33 colleges in the field of   management, commerce and education, totalling 19, where either single or multiple courses are offered, such as Computer Application (5), Education (5), Bio-chemistry (1), Law (1) Sociology (1) and Agriculture (1).

Snake-bite scare in Tikapur

By a Post Reporter

TIKAPUR, Aug 10 - People in the Kailali district were afflicted with the outbreak of viral encephalitis and meningitis last year, but this year people are facing the menace of snake bite more than these diseases.

A total of 21 people have already died of snake bite in the district this year.

According to Dhangadhi-based Seti Zonal Hospital, 4 of the patients admitted to the hospital for treatment have already died.

 Similarly, Puspa Raj Joshi, a PCO operator of Godavari VDC said 8 people had died of snake bite in that VDC alone over the last three months.

The VDC is made up of of both Terai and hilly terrains. Most of the houses in this VDC are made of stones and snakes are found safely hiding in the holes of the stone wall of the houses.

It is locally believed that the menace of snake bite diminishes since the day of "Nagpanchami". However, 13-year-old Janak Raj Bhat of Pathariya-8 and Dev Rawal, also 13 years old, of Godavari-4 died of snake bite on the night of Nagpanchami. Kokila Bhat, mother of Janak Raj Bhat was sleeping on the floor of the house and she was also bitten by snake. She is undergoing treatment in Nepalgunj.

Two people have so far died of snake bite in Baliya and one each in Tikapur municipality, Ramshikhar Jhala, Darkha, Pratappur, Chuha and Sugurkhal VDCs.

A total of 87 people have been admitted to Seti Zonal Hospital Dhangadhi and Tikapur Hospital over the last four months after they were bitten by snakes, according to hospital sources. It has been found that most of those who were admitted to the hospital after snake bite were not bitten by poisonous ones, hospital sources said.

In most cases, treatment is not very effective because the patients are rushed to the hospital only at the last hour after they are first taken to the traditional healers.

Chief of Tikapur Hospital Dr Hom Nath Poudel said perhaps people depend on traditional healers and samans because they are ignorant about the fact that snake bite victims get treatment at the hospitals free of cost.

Comics for awareness against trafficking

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 10 - In a unique campaign to raise awareness against women trafficking, The Asia Foundation (TAF) is to distribute 200 thousand copies of comic books in 21 rural  districts.

Conceived, written and designed by Laxmi Kunwar, and sketched by

Multigraphics Kathmandu, the comic books target neo-literate women, girls and the community.

Releasing the comic book titled- Andhyaroma Pareka Cheliharu- Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Kamala Pant said there has been a "steady decline in the number of  women trafficking since the last decade."

"Though the government has not done much, it is still committed to step up the measures to completely eradicate the trafficking of innocent and illiterate women," she said at a programme here today. 

Pant lauded the efforts and activities of various non-governmental organisations in checking  women trafficking.

"In this regard, the role of NGOs and INGOs has been commendable," she remarked.

She, however, lamented over the failure to receive commitment from the SAARC countries, particularly from India and Bangladesh, concerning the trafficking.

 The 52-page comic book, published in both English and Nepali, focuses on advocacy of the existing laws, prosecution and prevention of women trafficking, and protection of the victims of trafficking.

At the programme, Taufique Rahman, Assistant Representative of TAF said the comic books have already been "field-tested many times with positive results."

US Ambassador Ralph Frank, at the same programme, assured  his country would continue to assist Nepal in its development efforts.

Teachers misusing study-leave facility

By a Post Reporter

SINDHULIMADHI, Aug 10 - Lok Bahadur Gurung, a primary school teacher of Ram Janaki Primary school is on study leave for the last two and a half years. He is employed in Saudi Arabia and he has requested for extraordinary leave now from Saudi Arabia itself. Headmaster of the school has recommended for the leave and is requesting the District Education Office to approve his leave.

The wife of a distinguished leader has been spending her 5-year -study leave at home. She has not even joined any campus and she is receiving her salary.

The government has made provision for giving study leave to the teachers to enhance their educational ability, but this facility has been widely misused.

A total of 25 teachers have obtained study leave over the last three years, but the District Education Office does not have any record of any of these teachers upgrading their educational level.

District Education Officer Bishnu Dev Saha, who was recently transferred to this office, said he had never seen so many teachers obtaining study leave from any of the District Education Offices as in this district.

The District Education Office approves study leave if the school management committee recommends that the absence of the teacher concerned does not hamper the academic activities of the school. Some teachers get this facility by using pressure from higher authorities.

The government pays about 100 thousand rupees to one primary school teacher. On the one hand, the teacher is drawing the salary staying at home and on the other, the school is facing shortage of teachers, Saha said.

The task force constituted by the local District Education Office has come to the conclusion that the office is short of 201 teachers. There are examples in which two teachers of the same school have obtained study leave at the same time.

MP Lila Mani Pokhrel is worried about the widespread misuse of this facility of teachers and has collected data of nearly 100 teachers who have obtained study leave and are engaged as housewife, contractor, foreign job-holder and so on. Some of them have even sent other teachers giving them less salary. He has also raised his voice in the parliament asking the government to take action against such teachers and those who have approved their leave. However, no action has been taken so far against such people.