KATHMANDU, MARCH 31

The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology has announced that it is considering implementing two intakes per year for secondary schools and universities.

Secretary Suresh Adhikari made this statement during the inaugural session of a conference organized by the Monitoring Educational Foundation on Sunday.

Secretary Adhikari explained that the proposed policy is a response to a recent trend among youth, wherein they often drop out of education after failing annual exams or midway through their studies to pursue foreign employment opportunities.

He emphasized the necessity of revising education policies and institutional reforms, citing alarming statistics such as a 43% dropout rate among students in Grades 9 to 12, with only 15 to 20% continuing to higher education, while approximately 1.5 million students leave the country for studies abroad annually.

Adhikari highlighted the need to address the underlying motivations for students seeking education abroad, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for a prosperous future within Nepal.

He emphasized the need for universities to evolve into research hubs alongside their role in teaching and learning activities, advocating for financial self-reliance to supplement government funding.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Nepal Open University, Prof. Lekhnath Sharma, stressed the importance of adopting IT-relevant education policies to bridge generational gaps and enhance practical usage.

The conference also featured group discussions on various topics including the goals of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and education policies, vocational education, agriculture, health and environmental education, and the fiscal sector.

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