Nepal's Education Ministry Implements Major Reforms in Private Schools

Kathmandu. The arrival of Sashmit Pokharel as Minister of Education has sparked significant discourse and activity within the education sector.

Her recent decisions have garnered attention, particularly regarding private school fee structures, the mandatory 10 percent scholarship implementation, and revisions to the academic calendar.

10 Percent Scholarship Mandatory

Education experts view the federal government's directive to mandate a 10 percent scholarship in private schools through local levels as a 'milestone' for educational reform. Previously implemented strictly under Balendra Shah's leadership in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the Ministry of Education has now made this mandatory nationwide following positive outcomes.

Although the 'Compulsory and Free Education Act 2075' and 'Regulations 2077' clearly outlined this provision, it had long remained only on paper. The Ministry has now issued circulars linking this to the authority and duties of local levels for effective implementation. Assistant Professor Suresh Shrestha notes that this decision ensures access to quality private education for economically disadvantaged, meritorious, and targeted groups. 'From the perspective of social justice, this is extremely important and a highly commendable decision,' says Shrestha.

RB Katuwal, General Secretary of the Private and Residential Schools Organization Nepal (PABSON), also appears positive. 'We are clear that the 10 percent scholarship should be provided to targeted, meritorious, and needy students,' he said. 'Many schools were already providing this facility, but the recent initiative by Kathmandu Metropolitan City has made it more systematic. We have urged all member schools to provide scholarships according to the rules.'

Two-Day Holiday Impacts Academic Calendar

The Ministry of Education has also modified the academic calendar. The academic session, which usually begins on Baisakh 1, has been decided to start on Baisakh 15 this year. Additionally, considering the energy crisis caused by Middle East tensions and rising fuel prices, a decision has been made to grant a two-day holiday (Saturday and Sunday) per week.

While this decision appears creative for environmental and energy conservation, educators have expressed concerns. Saroj Yadav, a former teacher at Siddhartha Secondary School in Makwanpur, points out that this change could cause problems in completing the curriculum. 'The Ministry must bring a clear action plan to manage the fixed teaching hours and workload required throughout the year. It seems necessary to revise the curriculum in a way that does not affect the teacher's schedule and student learning outcomes,' he suggests.

Warning Against Arbitrary Fees

In a recent statement, the Ministry issued a stern warning to schools charging arbitrary fees. Ministry spokesperson Shivakumar Sapkota urged full compliance with the Supreme Court's order and the 'Institutional School Fee Determination Criteria 2072'. The guidelines clearly specify 14 categories, including monthly tuition, admission, deposits, examinations, computers, and transportation. The Ministry maintains that charging fees in categories other than these or exceeding the specified limits will be considered illegal, and if found, such amounts must be refunded to parents. This is expected to provide significant relief to parents facing financial burdens in the new academic session.

Admission and Annual Fees are Different: PABSON

According to PABSON General Secretary RB Katuwal, private schools are not entirely against the government's campaign, but they have some technical and practical issues. Clarifying the dispute over fees, Katuwal stated that 'admission fees' and 'annual fees' are different matters. While he argued that the trend of schools charging admission fees every year is wrong, he maintained that charging fees for facilities like sports, laboratories, and libraries under the name of annual fees is natural. However, the main challenge remains how many schools honestly follow the provision of charging only one month's tuition as admission fee and two months' tuition as annual fee.

Two-Day Holiday is Creative

PABSON has taken the decision to grant a two-day holiday per week and start the academic session from Baisakh 15 as a creative move in light of the fuel crisis and rising petroleum prices. Acknowledging the positive aspect of saving petroleum by not operating school vehicles, Katuwal drew attention to the issue of completing the curriculum. He said, 'Our curriculum is prepared based on a certain number of working days. If there are many holidays and the session starts late, the curriculum must be adjusted accordingly so that student learning outcomes are not affected.'

Scholarship Details Must Be Public

The Ministry believes that forming a scholarship management committee chaired by the head of the local level to make the distribution process transparent and identifying the targeted groups will improve the system. Previously, there were complaints that schools gave scholarships to the children of influential people. Now, with the active involvement of local levels in quota determination and selection, the Ministry has issued a circular to ensure that students with real needs get the opportunity. Additionally, schools have been instructed to make their fee and scholarship details public through their websites. An official with experience in the education sector in Kathmandu Metropolitan City says, 'Initially, there may be pressure and obstruction from private school operators when implementing such decisions. But when the rules are strictly enforced and monitoring is intensified, the system gradually begins to improve.'

Not Enough to Just Issue Directives

According to Assistant Professor Shrestha, it is not enough for the Ministry to just issue directives; it must strengthen coordination with local levels. Since the 'Local Government Operation Act 2074' has given the responsibility of school education to local levels, the current need is to create a mechanism where the center makes policies and the local level effectively implements and monitors them. Furthermore, he suggests that to minimize the educational loss that may occur due to the two-day holiday, the use of alternative learning methods and technology should be promoted.