n Being a president, one has to look at a broader framework. So, in order to ensure access to education for all, three levels of framework need to be developed —

1. At a local (VDC and District) level

• Assess needs and prepare plan of action

• Implement national policy and strong monitoring system in place

• Improve managerial, analytical and technological capacities of local level

• Document and report back to national level

• Mobilise information and strengthen partnership with NGOs/INGOs

• Ensure community ownership in education

2. At national level

• Develop supportive policy based on the information from local level

• Design policies to improve basic education

• Strong database management in place including information and communication channels

• Building partnerships with NGOs/INGOs and mobilise resources

• Enhance national capacities

3. At international level

• Exchange information, experience and expertise

• Undertake joint activities

• Get cooperation from the international forums and consortiums.

— Ramila Karmacharya, Development worker

n If I was made the president of this country, I’d implement these three things to ensure access to education for all.

1. Education upto 10+2 compulsory and free (in government schools) for all students. Conducting free adult education classes nationwide.

2. Awarding financially poor and talented students with monthly student allowances.

3. Revising present curriculum and matching them with internationally reputed educational institutes.

Giving importance to faculties like music, sports, cookery, foreign languages et cetera as optional subjects and arranging job opportunities to all citizens according to their skills.

— Cool Cristofer, Lake side

If I become the president of Nepal, I would upgrade the education system under the basis of provincial structures. I would focus on local communities and their social day-to-day practices. Secondly, I would modify the current course of studies and try to make changes according to the students’ demands. I will also work on changing the examination procedures. Lastly, I would like to hire new local teachers to provide information to students. And I will study to reform current educational plans so that it helps all students who are motivated to work in practical fields as well by gaining theoretical concepts in their related topics.

— Prabin Bhattarai

Education in the present world has become everyone’s means of living — the means to empower us with skills for life itself. If I were to be made the president of this country, I would improve the whole education system of this country. The education scenario of government schools and colleges is really bad. Lower and middle class families cannot afford expensive fees of private academies. So, underprivileged people do not have access to quality education. First of all, I would pose those educationists in the academic field who are dedicated to the bright future of the students. In the private sector, education has become a business not an educational sphere anymore. I wouldn’t allow parents to be looted in the name of providing education to their children. And I would open the doors of employment to those who have the required qualifications so that no one has to worry after the completion of their education and receiving their degrees.

— Bibha Dahal, Jorpati

What’s the main difference between a school in the NY and Pokhara? Schooling and education upto grade 12 is all absolutely free in NY. That should be the first thing that should be done in Nepal to improve our education.

The next thing to do would be to advance and promote adult and women’s education in all parts of the country.

The third thing, that I’d like to do, personally, is to increase the number of libraries in our place. Honestly, there are so few in one town, you could count them on your fingers! And we NEED libraries.

— Rashmi, Pokhara

Education is one of the pre-requisites for a nation to grow. I were to be made the president of this country, the three things I would do to ensure access to education for all are — the first thing would be establishing schools with adequate teaching materials and teachers in every part of the country. Secondly, equal education for all, rich or poor, I would not differentiate between them when it comes to providing opportunities for students and even for their further studies. Thirdly, bringing changes in the education sector on par with the international level and establishing more universities so that students can get quality education when it comes to higher level studies in their own country. Students wouldn’t go abroad and national money would stay within the country. As a result there will be increase in manpower who have knowledge and skills.

— Ranjeeta Lama, Baneshwor

Education is a major necessity to develop a country. So, to develop our country each and every Nepali should be educated. If I were chosen as the president of Nepal, the first thing I would do, is provide free education or at a very minimal cost upto class XII so that every Nepali will have easy access to higher education. The second thing is I will try to establish new colleges and universities in remote areas also. And finally, the third thing would be to make available not only theoretical education but practical and computer-based education at all levels.

— Roneesh Gautam ‘Ron’, Balaju

If I were to be made the president of my country, I would give priority to these things —

1. Expand early childhood care and education

2. Provide free education till the secondary level and make it compulsory for all along with promoting learning and life skills for young people and adults.

3. Increase adult literacy to 90 per cent along with improved quality of education.

— Ashok Banjade,

Anamnagar

If I were to be made the president of my dearest Nepal, the three things I would do are —

1. I would open schools in all remote regions

2. Inspire children towards education especially giving preference to people from remote regions

3. I would create awareness by broadcasting in different media the advantages and benefits of education, so that all the people get a chance to know ‘what is education.’

— Gopal Pandey

Had I been the president, I would stop the innumerous schools sprouting everywhere in the city that deprive students of quality education. I would rather focus on having less schools which provide good education. If schools are to be opened, they should be opened in rural areas where there is hardly even a primary school. I would make it a compulsion for all girls to be sent to school up to the secondary level. I’d take care of the primary education first because that builds the base. Then I’d focus on higher education. I’d also look in to the matters of informal and vocational education.

— Rhea Gurung,

Maharajgunj

The education system in Nepal at present is the worst affected. Often schools are used to achieve political objectives. People in responsible positions are playing with the future of innocent children. The frequent strikes and bands have marred the education sector. Neither the founders of the school nor the government seems to be serious towards this grave concern. Therefore, if I were the president I would work particularly for the uplift of the education. I would declare schools as strike free zones, so that teaching-learning activities would go on unharmed even when there is political turmoil. Secondly, I would bring a new law that restricts people to use school for political purposes. And we have seen that some of the so called popular boarding schools especially in Katmandu valley have been highly commercialised and charge high fees, and in return provide nothing qualitative to the kids. They exploit the teachers and dupe parents thereby putting the future of the children at stake. So, I would nationalise all private schools and give special trainings to teachers so that they can bring out the best for the overall improvement of the academic sector. When the education system gets better, all round national development will take place.

— Tilak Poudel, CA, USA

Education is the backbone for the uplift of a nation. The term nation incorporates that all its are equal, so education should be accessible to all, rich and poor alike. This may be achieved by having subsidised fee structure for low economy class family or bringing programmes like sponsorship for them. Secondly, when selecting students in this competitive world, selection should be very transparent, so that students who are the most suitable and have an interest in that particular field gets an opportunity to pursue his/her ambition. Thirdly, the evaluation of the students should be made in a fair manner so that the most intelligent ones gets a chance to come forward without any bias.

— Banodita Acharya Dhungel, Lecturer, Nepal Medical College

If I were to be made the president, first of all I would create awareness about education that, ‘Education is needed for everyone’ in all of our 75 districts. This will help signify the importance of education for everyone. Secondly, I would make plans to separate enough budget and other necessary things required for education. This will help to minimise deficits prevalent in the education system and improve our education system. Lastly, I would consult and take opinions from educational experts in providing quality education in all districts.

— Sushobhit Pokharel

The condition of Nepal in the education sector is pitiful. In rural areas children walk long distances for hours just to reach school. And during rainy season they can’t go to school due to landslides that may occur along the way. Some children do not go to school due to lack of money to buy books and copies. There are a few things which can be done to change the state of education in our country.

The literacy rate of our country is about 56 per cent. To let education flourish all over Nepal many things have to be done:

• In government colleges and schools, students need to pay even though it is a not a very big amount it needs to be totally banned.

• And the culture of collecting large amounts of money in boarding schools and colleges which is found everywhere should be stopped.

• Collect manpower, give them trainings related to teaching and send them to rural areas.

• Instead of only one Ministry of Education and Sports, I’ll separate Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sports so that Ministry of Education can focus only on education, improving literacy rate of our country and can work towards it.

• The number of scholarships that IOE, MOE and IOM are quite less in number so I’ll increase the number of seats so that more students will get scholarships and in future they will be able to contribute to build the nation.

— Gyanendra Shrestha, MOLIHSS, Lagankhel

If I were to be made the president of my country and if I were to improve the education system of my country, then I would leave all this to the students. I would try to get the views of the students and implement the same according to their wishes. However, only good views will be taken into consideration.

— Sagar GC, Las Vegas

Education is a basic factor necessary for the development of a nation, simply because it creates consciousness among the people to help them know what is right or wrong in their performance. Having moved on the right path, they could do something for the development of the nation. If I were made the president of the country, I would do the following three things —

First, I would try to implement quality education through the district education office. I would make the district education officer send trained teachers to all schools.

Secondly, I would provide free education to all up to SLC, so that students would not drop their studies in the middle their financial condition.

Thirdly, I would arrange to give monetary benefits and security for teachers who would prefer to go to the remote places where 90 per cent of the people are uneducated. This would encourage students of remote areas to have a chance to study well. In this way all Nepalis would be educated and would be able to contribute more or less to the nation’s development.

— Mohan Narsingh Shrestha, Kupondol

If I were to be made the president of this country, I would do the following three things to ensure access to education for all —

I would give first priority to education sector by giving the slogan ‘Sabaiko Lagi Shiksha’ and make sure it reaches every nook and cranny of the nation and would also provide free education for all up to intermediate level.

For the dropouts, I would make arrangements so that they would be paid certain sum of money if they joined school again.

I would make sure the government would make a law for boarding schools to give 25 per cent of the total students in a class, who are poor full scholarships.

— Ram Chandra

Sharma, Dhangadhi

If I were made the president of the country, I would select new educational bodies consisting of qualified and young persons who have the deepest wish and vision for the educational development via unbiased competition. They will also receive trainings. Secondly, education till tenth grade would be made free but after that students would have to earn while they learn; the opportunities may have to be looked for by oneself or provided by the state as per the economic condition and educational record of the students. Finally, all types of faculties would be present at the junior level so as to help students opt for the faculty they like in the senior level. This would form the practical basis of the education in new republic Nepal.

— BK Vaskar Humagain, Baneshwor

Education is the backbone for any type of development of a nation. We do not find particular steps taken by any government in Nepal for the uplift of the education sector. If I were made the president, I would bring about uniformity in the education system as we see the differences between private and government schools. I would no longer let it exist. Next, I would try to make education as affordable as possible to all, and probably provide free education for primary classes by increasing tax. The third thing I would do is hire scholars from foreign nations, rather than allowing intelligent students to go to foreign nation for the sake of receiving further education.

— Biren Dulal