Significant progress made in education sector: Ministry

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, July 3: Since the formation of the government led by the Rastriya Swatantra Party, significant progress has been made in reforming the examination system, improving university governance, expanding digital services, and enhancing public service delivery.

The Ministry of Education and Sports has prioritised making examinations from secondary to university level more time-bound, streamlining the No Objection Certificate (NOC) process for overseas study, freeing universities from partisan political interference and expanding digital services.

According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Shiva Kumar Sapkota, the results of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), Grade 12 examinations and university-level examinations are now being published more promptly than in the past.

Under the new arrangement, SEE results will be published within one month of the completion of examinations, Grade 12 results within 40 days, and university examination results within 65 days, he added.

These measures have been implemented in line with the Government’s 100-Point Action Plan on governance reform. The Action Plan requires universities and the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) to publish examination results within two months of the completion of examinations, while undergraduate and postgraduate results are to be released in accordance with the academic calendar.

The Ministry has stated that academic calendars have already been implemented in nine universities.

To make the overseas study No Objection Certificate (NOC) system more effective, it has been integrated through an Application Programming Interface (API) with the data systems of Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University.

Preparations have also been completed to integrate the system with the National Identity Number (NIN) database. Furthermore, NOC issuance and academic certificate verification services are now available even on public holidays. According to the Ministry’s progress report, 40,413 NOCs were issued and 12,210 academic certificates were verified over three months.

The Ministry has intensified its campaign to eliminate partisan political interference in universities. Plans are underway to prohibit student organisations from using university buildings and land, to remove political symbols from university premises, and to introduce the Student Council and Voice of Student systems.

Following the removal of most university office-bearers who had been appointed through political nominations, the selection of new office-bearers through a transparent and competitive process has reached its final stage. Interviews and presentations for the appointment of Vice-Chancellors at eight universities commenced on Saturday, the ministry informed.

Meanwhile, at Tribhuvan University, approximately Rs. 500 million has so far been recovered from the nearly Rs. 2 billion that is due from around 400 lecturers who failed to return after taking study leave within the prescribed period.

The Ministry has introduced an alternative assessment system for students up to Grade 5 by replacing traditional internal examinations, with the aim of reducing psychological pressure on children.

The government has also made arrangements to allow children without birth registration certificates to enroll in school on the basis of details certified by their respective local governments. In addition, preparations are underway to remove the requirement for students to possess citizenship certificates in order to pursue studies up to the bachelor’s level.

As part of administrative reforms, the Ministry has introduced an e-Pension Card system for teachers, digital signature authentication, expanded the GIOMS system, established a help desk for grievance management, and catalogued and implemented the recommendations contained in reports submitted by various commissions.

In addition, employment-oriented skills development and rehabilitation programmes have been launched through technical and vocational education and training centres for families and individuals affected by the Gen Z movement. The Ministry has published the Education Statistics 2083 and completed a comprehensive review of research undertaken by the Ministry and its subordinate agencies, together with policy analysis.

The Ministry has stated that the National Assessment Policy Guidelines are in the final stage of preparation, with an assessment framework already developed, with the objective of improving learning achievement assessments for Grades 3, 5, 8 and 10.

The final draft of the National School Education Quality Standards has also been completed. In addition, a research study has commenced following an agreement between the Medical Education Commission and the Policy Research Institute to examine the Commission’s mandate, scholarship management, fee determination and operational systems.

Spokesperson Sapkota said all of these initiatives are aimed at strengthening good governance in the education sector, improving service delivery, and making educational institutions more accountable.