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.
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