Lawmakers Demand Plan to Enroll Out-of-School Children

Kathmandu. Members of Parliament have demanded that the government bring a concrete plan to include millions of children outside of school education within the academic session. On Tuesday, in the meeting of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee, the MPs drew the government's attention to the fact that a large number of children are still outside the reach of education. In the meeting, Rastriya Swatantra Party MP Dr. Toshima Karki presented data showing that 13 percent of secondary level students are still out of school and demanded a clear plan on how to include them in the enrollment campaign. She questioned the uncertain educational status of children in holding centers and the delay in presenting the school education bill in Parliament. MP Karki claimed that more than 400 professors from Tribhuvan University have misused their study leave, and the country has suffered an economic, moral, and educational loss of approximately two billion rupees due to their failure to return after going abroad for PhDs, demanding strict monitoring. She also demanded government intervention, stating that Chitwan Medical College has not provided the prescribed subsistence allowance to resident doctors.

CPN-UML MP Guru Prasad Baral said that the condition of science education at the plus two level in community schools is dire. Mentioning that in a survey of 31 districts in the mid-hills, the number of students studying science is zero in some places, he commented that the hilly and mountainous districts have reached the 'red zone' in terms of science education. He stated that science, English, and mathematics subjects should be given extra emphasis from class 8 onwards, and the state should monitor the quality of colleges affiliated with foreign universities.

Similarly, MP Ramesh Kumar Malla criticized the government's policy and program for mentioning 'free education' but not 'compulsory education'. He questioned the government's plan to bring approximately 770,000 children outside of school into schools within one year. Pointing out the risk that the policy of merging schools will deprive rural and poor children of education, he suggested operating at least one residential school in the local levels of the hilly and mountainous districts and bringing in a 'Residential Education Act' for it.

In the meeting, MPs also drew the government's attention to the fact that the 10 percent scholarship provided by private schools is not transparent, they charge high fees, and the two-day weekly holiday has affected teaching and learning. MPs also argued that the move to abolish student unions in universities or ban their ideology would hinder the production of skilled manpower.