Nepal's Higher Education Faces Critical Challenges and Seeks Solutions

Education is the carrier of economic, social and cultural development of any country. Schools, universities and higher education have great importance in the development of the country. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural country. Its education system has been expanding for the past few decades. Institutional formal education system in Nepal only started after 1951. Although there has been remarkable development in education since then, qualitative improvement has not been satisfactory.

The history of university education in Nepal begins with the establishment of Tribhuvan University (in 2016 BS). In recent years, in addition to central universities like Kathmandu University, Purbanchal, Pokhara, Lumbini, Sudurpashchim, Agriculture and Forestry University, Manmohan Technical, Madhesh, Gandaki, Bagmati universities have also been established at the provincial level.

However, due to various reasons, education at both school and university levels in Nepal appears to be in a very precarious state. There are countless problems in Nepal's education from the school level. When it comes to the university level, there is a race to open new universities day by day, but the condition of existing universities has been made dire.

Tribhuvan University, with its long history, respectable status, and commendable contribution, is continuously on the path of decline. There is a lack of adequate physical infrastructure. Vacant positions are not being filled. Administrative activities are in disarray. Academic activities are not being conducted efficiently. Non-academic and undesirable activities are flourishing in the place of thought, science and invention. Professors are not being provided with adequate service facilities and career development opportunities. As a result, the university, which should be supporting the nation through skilled manpower, appears to be trapped in a vicious cycle of problems.

Tribhuvan University and other central and provincial universities are at the most serious juncture in history. It is certain that the declining academic and intellectual environment of Tribhuvan University, the largest, oldest, and leading institution in the country, will have far-reaching effects on national development. Although current officials are trying to continuously reform the university, the progress of the university is not possible without the cooperation of employees, professors, students, and the state as a whole.

Therefore, if the economic, political, administrative, and social dimensions of the challenges, problems, solutions, and possibilities of overall university education are not studied meticulously and resolved in time through a high-level commission, the country is certain to fall into a major educational crisis.

It is not just time for problems, but time to move forward for solutions. In this regard, the Ministry of Education has recently invited applications for the post of Vice-Chancellor in eight universities across the country. The post of Vice-Chancellor should be understood not as an opportunity to gain an appointment, but as a responsibility to transform one's vision, thinking, and dreams for university reform into practice.

Some believe that the government has taken the risk of removing university officials across the country through an ordinance this time with the objective of bringing about a radical change in higher education, while others say that this process has made a mockery of meritocracy. However, it aims to identify the problems of Nepali students and open new paths.

After preparing the shortlist, the candidate's vision paper and strategic plan will also be evaluated, and research books and publications will be used as necessary basis. This advances the objective of making Nepal's higher education system more capable, competitive, research-oriented, and future-oriented.

Nepal's universities seem to be struggling to achieve equivalence with international universities. The main reasons for this include political interference, weakness of academic leadership, lack of budget, lack of a research-oriented mindset, and a weak structure of public-private partnership. This article will discuss this issue.

• Problems and Solutions

1. Lack of strategic planning and resource management in government and community colleges

Most government and community colleges in Nepal lack long-term strategic planning. Also, the necessary physical infrastructure, resources, and management systems have not been developed adequately. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning has not improved as expected.

To solve this problem, it is necessary for each college and university to prepare a long-term strategic plan and move towards implementation by identifying and managing the necessary infrastructure and resources accordingly. Specifically, the 'vision paper' prepared during the appointment of university officials can be made public, and based on it, a clear roadmap for the overall development of universities and colleges can be set.

In addition, clear goals, action plans, and performance indicators should be determined for each faculty and implemented in a planned manner.

Currently, the physical structure of most government colleges has become very dilapidated according to the student pressure. Therefore, there is a need to reconstruct and expand buildings as needed. When constructing buildings, the size, length, and width of classrooms should be scientific, and student seating arrangements, including desks and benches, should be transformed to an international standard.

Similarly, in many government and community colleges, the management of toilets, campuses, gardens, and sanitation is not satisfactory. It is necessary to take a plan to at least upgrade the toilets. The lack of regular sanitation and management has a negative impact on the overall campus environment.

On the other hand, there is also a problem of not getting expected work from the office support staff and assistant employees working in many colleges. The capacity of employees should be continuously enhanced by providing pre-service and in-service training. To improve this, clear job responsibilities should be determined, and work should be assigned based on performance. If employees do not perform their responsibilities effectively, management can be improved by using options such as voluntary retirement.

2. Collaboration between universities and affiliated colleges

The lack of collaboration, coordination, and trust between universities and affiliated colleges in Nepal has emerged as a major challenge in the current higher education system. This is hindering manpower production, academic research, and curriculum development.

For this, we can do the following three things. First, it is necessary for universities to create an environment of collaboration by taking affiliated colleges into confidence. This can include arrangements for colleges to be directly involved in the operation of new academic subjects and curriculum reform.

Second, it is necessary to monitor all affiliated colleges annually or semi-annually according to specific regulations. This will provide an opportunity to evaluate the academic quality of colleges, give instructions for improvement, and establish trust and transparency with the university.

Third, a clear structure of communication, coordination, and partnership should be established between universities and affiliated colleges. This will have a positive impact on curriculum reform, student evaluation, research promotion, and faculty capacity building.

Thus, through regular monitoring and trust-based collaboration, sustainable coordination and an effective academic environment can be created between universities and affiliated colleges. This is expected to make a concrete contribution towards making the higher education system transparent, accountable, and quality-oriented.

3. Problems related to educational quality

One of the major challenges in ensuring educational quality in Nepalese universities is the lack of effective implementation of the academic calendar. This leads to problems such as the curriculum not being completed on time, examinations being delayed, and results being published late.

The following 6 measures can be adopted to solve this. First, an academic calendar should be prepared and published at the beginning of each academic year. This should clearly mention the completion of the curriculum, examination schedule, result publication time, and other academic activities.

Second, arrangements should be made to complete the curriculum on time, which will help both students and teachers maintain discipline and regularity in academic activities.

Third, results should be published within one month of the completion of the examination. For failed students, a chance examination should be conducted within one month. The university should arrange for an open examination system when conducting examinations.

Fourth, students' right to express dissatisfaction with the results should be ensured. A clear process for reviewing results based on complaints should be adopted.

Fifth, modern technologies such as barcode technology should be implemented in examinations to provide results transparently, securely, and quickly. The system of putting barcodes on certificates issued by the university should be started. Sixth, arrangements should be made to digitally preserve all examinations and academic records. This will systematize record management and facilitate reuse in the future.

In addition, arrangements should also be made to develop all university professors as national policy makers, researchers, or think tanks of the state.

4. Inspection, evaluation, and affiliation of colleges

Inequality and lack of transparency have been observed in the inspection, evaluation, and affiliation process of constituent colleges and affiliated colleges in Nepal. This hinders educational strengthening, quality control, and student-centered curriculum development. To solve this problem, the following steps can be taken:

First, implement a regular inspection and evaluation system. Second, move forward with a transparent affiliation process. Third, focus on curriculum development and implementation. Fourth, immediately form a review committee. Fifth, classify colleges according to quality.

5. Curriculum, research, innovation of universities

In Nepalese universities, subjects that are decades old, unemployment-oriented, and not connected to the market and technology have been taught so far. This presents a challenge in making students employable and standing them in international competition. To solve this, the following can be done:

First, include new subjects that are timely. Second, review the curriculum regularly. Third, use foreign experts. Fourth, include education imbued with humanity and ethics. This type of curriculum reform and innovation is expected to play an important role in making university students employable, creative, and internationally competitive.

6. Professors unable to update themselves on subjects

The inability of old professors in universities to update themselves on new, timely curricula and technologies is a major challenge, hindering the provision of modern and job-oriented education to students.

For a solution, it is appropriate to provide 'golden handshake' or retirement benefits to professors who cannot update themselves. Competent professors should be appointed in their place. In addition, an 'Academic Performance Index' (API) system should be introduced based on the teaching, research, and publications of each professor, which will help in evaluating competence and ensuring quality education.

7. Weakness in the use of information technology

In most constituent and affiliated colleges, the operation of classes in traditional ways without the use of modern teaching technology (ICT) has hindered curriculum management, student participation, and quality improvement.

For a solution, ensure maximum use of ICT in classes, examinations, curriculum management, libraries, and attendance, collect student suggestions and complaints through an online feedback system, manage curriculum, homework, assignments, and evaluations through digital and e-library facilities and learning management systems (LMS).

In addition, a fully ICT-friendly front desk system, a robust organizational communication mechanism, and a mentor-mentee system are necessary in the university. This will ensure educational quality, transparency, and technology-supported teaching.

8. Inability to invite experts

In most universities and colleges in Nepal, the tradition of inviting subject matter experts to familiarize students with new knowledge, technology, and international experience has not developed sufficiently, limiting the development of students' international exposure, research capabilities, and innovative thinking.

For a solution, guest lectures, workshops, and interaction programs can be conducted by inviting subject matter experts from Nepal and abroad, and a policy of 'Human Resource Exchange Mechanism' can be adopted to sign MoUs with foreign universities. In this way, research should be focused on the field of local and indigenous knowledge, and local knowledge should be utilized for nation-building.

9. Low involvement in research and low remuneration

The main problem in Nepalese universities is that most professors are limited to teaching and do not actively participate in research. The research culture has not been strengthened due to lack of incentives, resources, and institutional support. Also, due to low teacher salaries, it is difficult to maintain stability and attraction in the profession. This can have a negative impact on educational quality and research in the long run.

For a solution, arrangements can be made for professors to focus their remaining time on research, publications, and educational projects after completing a certain minimum teaching load per week, to encourage them to join university research laboratories and present their achievements to the education department and ministry, and to effectively implement the system of providing research incentives to professors involved in research-publication-innovation.

10. Political and social interference in professor management

Complaints of political influence, pressure, and recommendations in appointments, transfers, and responsibility determination have deprived qualified professors of opportunities and negatively impacted educational quality and institutional credibility. To solve this, appointments, promotions, and transfers should be based on open competition, merit, and performance. Political activities should be prohibited within the premises of universities and their subordinate institutions through a cabinet decision. Professors should be deployed in appropriate positions according to their competence, subject expertise, and experience, and every university should regularly conduct academic audits, tracer studies, and other performance evaluations with metrics. The appointment committee should include representation from various sectors such as parents, teachers, social workers, and students.

11. Appropriate educational environment for weak students

There is a risk of increasing socio-economic inequality in education when economically weak students are unable to study their desired subjects. To solve this, the scholarship distribution system should be made flexible, transparent, and accessible, charging fees from those who can afford it, but providing opportunities to eligible students who cannot. Scholarship recipients can be made to work in state-designated locations for at least one year. It is necessary to develop a mechanism for part-time work and training programs in collaboration with universities, local governments, and the private sector. This will provide equal opportunities to economically weak students and help build a self-reliant, skilled workforce.

12. Policy to attract children of Nepalis living abroad

The lack of a clear policy to attract foreign students and children of expatriate Nepalis limits the expansion of higher education to an international level. To solve this, colleges related to medicine, nursing, engineering, and IT should be established in all seven provinces in a modern, inclusive framework, with knowledgeable professors, an international-level curriculum, modern infrastructure, hostels, and research facilities, and a student-friendly environment. Educational collaboration, student exchange, and research programs with foreign universities should be conducted, and procedures should be developed and implemented with the objective of making Nepal a regional educational research destination.

13. Inability to develop curriculum as needed

Due to the lack of a robust system for developing curricula according to national, labor market, and regional needs, there is duplication in some subjects and a shortage of manpower in some important areas. To solve this, a clear division of labor among universities regarding which program to run, and a system of collaboration in research, faculty development, and assessment practices between constituent campuses and departments can be developed.

Regular surveys of manpower needs at the provincial and district levels should be conducted, and curricula should be developed accordingly. The impact, both qualitative and quantitative, of how the manpower produced so far is being utilized by the state, industry, and society should be studied, and based on these studies, new subjects should be developed, and existing curricula should be revised and strengthened.

14. Problems related to brain drain and digital transformation

Brain drain in Nepal has become a serious challenge due to political instability, low remuneration, limited research opportunities, and outdated curricula. To solve this, universities should adopt a 'brain gain' or 'brain circulation' model. By effectively implementing the concept of transnational education, a policy should be adopted to connect the skills, knowledge, and capital of expatriate Nepalis to the higher education sector through 'Skill, Knowledge and Innovation' programs.

• Conclusion

If the various suggestions given above can be implemented, autonomy, transparency, quality improvement, innovation, industry collaboration, and international competitiveness can be ensured in universities. Most universities and colleges in Nepal still need to make significant progress in educational quality, physical infrastructure, human resource management, and curriculum reform; it is not possible to make universities competitive at the national and international levels without strengthening these aspects.

For this, corrective actions should be implemented within a specific timeframe by obtaining clear written commitments from the current officials. If tangible improvements are not seen by citizens and students within the stipulated period, leadership should be changed based on accountability, and opportunities should be given to new competent leadership.

Furthermore, political will, a clear educational vision, and the effective use of public-private partnerships are indispensable for the success of this process. If these aspects can be coordinated and moved forward, Nepalese universities can be developed as quality-oriented, research-oriented, innovation-friendly, and internationally competitive institutions. Currently, Nepalese universities are expecting leadership that can solve the problems we have discussed above.

(The author is a member of the Central Education Department of the Rastriya Swatantra Party.)