Distance Education

MINISTER for Education and Sports Devi Prasad Ojha said that distance education and open learning schemes have become a necessity as an alternative way of educating the majority of the people who are poor, downtrodden and deprived of school education in the country. Addressing an interactive programme on distance education and open learning system organised by the Education Centre at Sanothimi, Bhaktapur the other day, Minister Ojha said that the Distance Education Centre, which has currently been undertaking the task of teacher training, needs to take a lead role in promoting and expanding open learning and distance education scheme in order to benefit the vast majority of the people, especially in the rural areas, who for various reasons, have not been able to benefit from the formal education system. Distance education or open learning system is relatively cheaper and more convenient for all who cannot regularly attend the formal classes in school or university level. This system is popular and effective in several other countries in the world. Education is the foundation of social and economic development of any society and country. Without adequate development of education, a country cannot make considerable achievements and progress in any front. Skilled and knowledgeable human resource is key to development of any society. It is education that creates such skilled, informed and knowledgeable human resource. Nepal is one of the countries in the world which has low literacy level. Taking this fact into account, the government has accorded high priority to the development of education. For this, the government has allocated a large portion of budget in the education sector. As a result, there has been a significant rise in the literacy rate in the past two decades. The government has also a plan and policy to ensure access to education to all people in the country to completely eradicate illiteracy. The government has adopted multi-pronged strategy to eradicate illiteracy and further develop the education sector. The distance education is one of many effective ways in the drive towards ensuring easier and better access to education of all people. Despite quantitative progress in the field of education, there are complaints about the quality. Efforts have been made from both the government as well as private sector to raise the quality of education in the country. If properly implemented and developed, the distance education and open learning system would definitely help not only ensuring access to education but also provide quality education in the country. As Nepal is economically poor, the distance education and open learning needs to be promoted and made effective as it is cost effective as well as has a wider reach in the society.

Pesticides' Ill-effects

ACCORDING to a study conducted by two scientists concerning the use of pesticides by vegetable farmers of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, it was found that ignorance of the farmers regarding the ill effects of the toxic substances on human health, as per a news item carried by this daily the other day, is putting the health of consumers in jeopardy. Ever since Kathmandu Valley's farmers took to growing vegetables instead of foodgrains in their fertile lands on a commercial scale, the use of pesticides has also increased. While the use of pesticides by the Valley's vegetable farmers is but understandable-and hence, cannot be faulted-what is simply incomprehensive is to know that the same vegetable growers are haphazardly using the same pesticides. Pesticides, as all, including the Valley's vegetable farmers, should be knowing by now, are poisonous chemicals. The more so if these pesticides are used without strictly following the instructions either given by the pesticide dealers or written on these poisonous chemicals' labels on packages and containers. As such, to know that the Valley's vegetable growers are spraying pesticides indiscriminately just to ensure that their products would not be destroyed by the pests does convey the impression that they are either not familiar with the use of pesticides or that they, while purchasing the pesticides, are not being thoroughly briefed as to proper use of the pesticides.

But then, to allow the Valley's vegetable growers to continue using the pesticides in a haphazard way and manner without the concerned authorities coming up with remedial measures could, sooner or later, play havoc in the general health of both the vegetable farmers and their countless customers. More worrying to note is that as and when the ill-effects of the random use of pesticides start to manifest, not only would the victims' families be forced to bear with costly medical bills incurred while seeking proper medical treatment for their sick but, worse still, the nation's already over-stretched health and medical services would be put under additional burden and strain. Hence, if both the nation and the people were to be spared from the adverse effects emanating from the indiscriminate use of pesticides, the concerned authorities need to speedily chart out and implement practical schemes to teach the Valley's vegetable farmers how to use the pesticides without harming theirs as well as their customers' health.