Karnali Province Hosts First Skills-Based Learning Fair Organized by Private Sector

Surkhet. For the first time in Karnali Province, a skills-based learning fair organized by the private sector has been held. Siddha Paila School in Birendranagar, Surkhet, organized the skills-based learning fair. At the fair, the school demonstrated how to use traditionally operated tools.

The skills-based learning fair showcased cooking methods and the use and demonstration of various traditional tools. Learning was imparted through the presentation of physical materials regarding the development occurring in society using materials that are on the verge of extinction. Methods for making ghee in a Dheki (pounding device) and Janto (grinding stone), making butter in a Theki (traditional milk pot), crafting iron utensils, and preparing food recipes were presented practically at the fair. Food prepared at the school was also purchased and sold. Organic food was also prepared and sold.

Items like Sel Roti, Koddo (millet) bread, Sisnu (nettle) bread, and dishes made from potatoes were prepared. The skill of making Tapari (leaf bowls) for selling food was taught, and food was sold in these leaf bowls. Various modern equipment was also exhibited. Stalls were set up for the sale and distribution of walnuts, apples, and other pulses produced in Karnali. More than five hundred parents and children actively participated in the practical activities and benefited financially from the program.

The school's principal, Nain Singh Khatri, stated that this program provided an example that much can be learned not just by reading, but also by doing. He added that they are on a mission to learn many things practically and simplify life. "We state that we have earned a degree, but what is the use of that education if one doesn't even know how to cook?" he questioned. "We have the responsibility to preserve the past culture and traditions while also making ourselves knowledgeable about the new modern world."

He mentioned that many people face problems not because they know how to cook, but because they don't. He stated that although Karnali is an important region for organic production, it has become a global laboratory due to a lack of manufacturing methods and skills. Khatri emphasized that the current responsibility is not just teaching in school, but preparing citizens who can compete in the modern world by imparting knowledge along with skills, making the future generation aware of the past and present. In addition to exhibiting all the skills, practice was also conducted extensively during the program.

Children also benefited financially by cooking and selling food with their parents. The exhibition of traditional tools, which are unavailable in city markets, also reflected the struggle of the ancestors in difficult times in the past. The stories of past struggles were reflected in today's exhibition alongside modern development.