For Quality Education
MINISTER for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya said that the
government was seriously considering introducing the provision of conducting examination
for the license of teachers in order to enhance the quality of education in the country.
Addressing a function in Biratnagar recently, Minister Upadhayaya said that the seventh
amendment in the Education Act has clearly mentioned the provision for teaching license
for teachers and to provide quality education to all. Education is the key to development.
Only informed, educated and skilled people can make significant contribution for the
overall social and economic development of the country. It is education that creates
skilled human resource. Considering the importance, the government has accorded high
priority to developing the education sector. A large portion of the national budget has
been allocated for education. Greater emphasis has been laid on basic and primary
education. In fact, the government has a plan to provide the opportunity of education to
all under its " Education For All" scheme. For this, several programmes have
been launched. Basic and Primary Education Project has been launched in more than 60
districts, and is expected to be implemented in all the 75 district in the near future.
The Basic and Primary Education Project has been instrumental in raising the literacy rate
and students’ enrolment in the schools. In order to ensure the opportunity of
education to all school-going children, the government has already provided scholarships
to more than 13,000 girls and 3,750 boys, mostly belonging to the poor, backward and
underprivileged families. Special classes for physically and mentally retarded children
have been conducted in 26 districts of the country. Similarly, more than 2,100 informal
classes are being run for women literacy throughout the nation. In the same way, the
government has provided training to more than 16,000 primary teachers. Despite the high
priority and huge investment in the education sector, there have been complaints of
deteriorating quality of education in the country. Experts are of the opinion that the
deterioration of educational standards in public schools is mostly management related.
There is also a feeling that educational institutions are being turned into recruitment
centres for people in power. As a result, qualified people often hesitate to join the
teaching profession. Fortunately, the government now seems to have realised this. The
examination for teaching license is, thus, a move towards recruiting only those who are
qualified for the teaching profession. The other provision the government is contemplating
is handing over the management of the schools to the community and civil society. Once
these provisions are implemented, it would, no doubt, contribute to enhancing the quality
of education.
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