NATIONAL 9 (Spotlight Weelky)]

Novel Concepts

The World Bank-funded project establishes an information management system at the Tribhuvan University

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

As the six-year Higher Education Project draws to an end, project officials claim they have been successful in revamping the education structure and setting up an effective information system.

During its tenure, the project introduced sweeping changes in the academic structure by bringing up the concept of three-years’ bachelor studies followed by two years’ post-graduate curriculum.

Earlier, Nepal followed a 16-year education system with 10 years of school-level and six years of campus-level studies — comprising a two-year Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL), two-year bachelor and two-year master’s level. Now the government has included classes 11 and 12 at the school level and the PCL is in the process of being phased out.

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"There are only a dozen countries in the world that have a 16-year education system, while 146 countries have already adopted a 17-year system. In fact, 11 countries have even started a 18-year system by allocating four years to the bachelor’s level," said Purush Ratna Bajracharya, coordinator of the project.

That apart, the project has launched the Education Management Information System (EMIS) in the TU by introducing computers in the management of the university and campuses affiliated to it. Project officials claim they have already computerized the whole examination system and result statistics. "We are in a position to put any result on the web site," said Bajracharya.

The EMIS has also created a pool of necessary database for use in academic management. The personal records of teachers and academic records of each student registered at the TU are now stored in the computer. "We have developed a rich information system. Anyone can avail of this facility. We can provide virtually every information regarding the university now," Bajracharya said.

Bajracharya expects that, with the EMIS in place, the university will now be able to deliver better quality of education and proper academic environment. "I refuse to buy the claims from some quarters that the TU products are inferior in quality. If that was the case, then why do you find so many of our products getting access to reputable universities around the world?" he asked. He hopes TU products under the 17-year education system, who are set to complete their education from this year, will be much better in terms of quality.

The Higher Education Project was launched in 1994 with the objective to revamp the higher education at the university and set in motion changes that would usher in better academic environment. "The project brought a new academic revolution in the country with new courses, new curriculum, trained manpower and better physical facilities."

The World Bank provided loan assistance worth US$20 million for the project. The Nepalese government chipped in with additional 20 percent of matching fund. The project is going to expire in next two months.

According to the Planning Division at the TU, there are 127,355 students at the university campuses in total (in 2956/57) — including 33,179 female students. There are 61 campuses under the TU and another 277 campuses are affiliated to the university.

Around 56,000 students are studying at the certificate level while 53,000 and 16,000 are studying at the bachelor’s and master’s levels respectively. Faculty-wise, the maximum concentration is in the humanities, with around 52,000 students. The faculties of forestry and law, with 396 and 4,036 students respectively, seem to be attracting fewer students.