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The Future of Education in Nepal – Trends to Watch
Education is an ever-evolving process. Education is enlightening and rewarding both from socio-economic as well as esteem needs.
Today teaching-learning pedagogy has transformed from a centralized-formal system to a mixed-pragmatic system. In this point of view, the Nepalese education system has also been witness to different developmental paradigm shifts. In this blog. we discuss how historical development perspectives, social infrastructure and technology shape the future of education in Nepal.
History of Education in Nepal
Nepal’s education system has undergone significant changes over time. The history of the education system in Nepal dates back to medieval and ancient times where education was imparted through home tutoring and gurukuls. This too was on the basis of caste systems. Usually, Bhrahmins and Kshetriyas were socially entitled to receive formal education through these systems. The main areas of study was religion, culture, warcraft, politics and diplomacy.
The evolution of modern education with some degree of social inclusion was seen after the establishment of democracy in 1951, whereafter education became more accessible to the general populace. Before this the Rana regime saw establishments of schools and higher educational institutions but this too was limited to the elites and ruling class.
After democracy was instated, the government played a crucial role in expanding educational opportunities through the gradual establishment of educational institutions across the country. The introduction of the English education system further modernized the educational diaspora of the country.
Nepal's education system has continuously evolved, however, the challenges of limited accessibility, infrastructure and inadequate human resources coupled by economic disparities and inequality are at large affecting the quality of the broader educational landscape of the country. Nonetheless, integrated efforts are being made to address these issues and improve the overall quality of education in the country through educational policy reforms, and bureaucratic liaison ensuring greater access and better productivity of formal education within the state.
Evolution of Education in Nepal
Nepal’s education system has evolved from the traditional, orthodox system with limited accessibility to more inclusive, modern and pragmatic forms of education systems.
Ancient & Medieval Times: During these times, education was primarily focused in religious, cultural, warcraft, politics and diplomacy and was imparted through homeschooling and Gurukuls (traditional residential schools).
Rana Period (1846-1951): During the Rana Regime, Modern education began with the establishment of Durbar High School in 1854, but its access was limited primarily for the elite classes while access remained limited for the general population.
Post-Democracy (1951 onwards): After the re-establishment of democracy in the country, the government expanded educational institutions, leading to increased school enrollment and better access to education. The introduction of the English education system further modernized the system making education a modern endeavor.
Reforms: Although democratic state governance had a positive effect on inclusion and access in education, challenges such as accessibility, teacher-student ratio, infrastructural availability and limited human resources have hindered the perceived educational standards in the country. Continuous efforts in terms of policy, infrastructure strengthening and creation of skill-based human resources are the cornerstones of improving the overall quality of education within the country.
Education Trends in Nepal
In 2021, the overall literacy rate of the country was 71.2% with male literacy at 81% and female literacy at 63.3%. This was a huge leap within the past 20-year period where the overall literacy was 48.6% (Male: 62.7% and Female: 32.9%).
Both these historical figures signal to the fact that although overall literacy has increased substantially, there still exists a huge gender disparity in terms of education in Nepal.
1 in every 5 students in Nepal chose to study abroad for higher educational attainment in 2021, which shows the level of dissatisfaction over the quality and employability of education within the country. After higher education in Nepal, most of the students are left unemployed creating psycho-social stress and anxiety among the students. This is not a discounted proposition by any means. In terms of outbound mobility Nepal’s ratio was at 19% in 2021, while the same remains at less than 2% for its neighboring countries India and China.
High rates of dropouts in Nepal is a harsh reality today. This is driven by poverty, limited accessibility and unemployability which needs to be brought under corrective scrutiny by the educational policies and leadership in Nepal without fail.
Marginalization and limited geographical and financial accessibility coupled with poverty and unemployment have been the major causes of dissatisfaction and out-migration of students in Nepal. Education in Nepal is quite modern but the lack of opportunities after educational attainment remains a clear push factor.
The Nexus between Education and Skill Development
The confusing proposition of whether skill is better than education or vice-versa is an important factor to be noted. The answer is far from simple. Modern education cannot sustain without skill development and at the same time, skilful populations without education cannot compete in the market. There needs to be a balance between formal education and skill development at all levels of engagement for sustainable outcomes from education in Nepal. This is something to be highly prioritized by educational policies and initiatives within the country.
Future of Education in Nepal
The crisis in securing a sustainable future of education in Nepal stems from politicization, economic disparities, poverty and lack of infrastructure and technology. There may be myriads of externalities that affect the future of education in Nepal but lagging pragmatic and skill-based education remains a stark reality.
The future of education in Nepal depends on the readiness of infrastructure and technology, availability of qualified human resources, economic resource allocations, modernization of educational curriculum and private sector/international participation.
Today online education, distance learning and human-centric education systems have evolved in Nepal. The International Center for Academics (ICA) and institutions alike have pioneered in providing pragmatic, employable and skill-based educational degrees and programs that are fully accredited and accepted worldwide. These initiatives are the cornerstones for shaping the future of quality and competent education systems in Nepal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the biggest problem in education in Nepal?
Brain drain, outward mobility, unemployability, social pressures and stresses coupled by low infrastructure development and technology are the major problems in education in Nepal.
What are the new education trends in Nepal?
Online education, distance learning, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and skill-based teaching-learning pedagogy are the latest trends in education in Nepal. ICA offers fully accredited and accepted global degrees at the most affordable rates today.
Is skill more important than education?
A degree increases your chances of employability but skills help you sustain and grow at your work. Therefore skill-based education is the most important of all. ICA helps you accomplish both these goals by providing state-of-the-art modern education degrees that are accepted worldwide and accredited across the globe.
Where is Nepal’s education heading?
Nepal’s education sector stands at a crossroads and has both opportunities and challenges ahead. Nepal has faced many challenges to the attainment of basic education and modern education for all. However, it would be unjust to say that the country has made no significant strides in improving the quality of education in Nepal.
