Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 31:

Education experts today stressed on reviewing policies and making changes in the educational strategy so that gaols can be achieved within five years despite the desperate need for US$82 million.Finance Ministry organised the pre-consultation meeting for the Nepal Development Forum 2004 on the education sector here today.

The final event is expected to take place on May 5 and 6. Kedar Bhakta Mathema, former

vice-chancellor of Tribhuwan University said the government needs to review its policy of phasing out the certificate level from universities and merging it with secondary education.

“This will cover up the resource gap in higher secondary education,” said Mathema. “All the funds that have been used in the non-prioritised areas needs to be checked.” The government needs more than US$82 million in order to achieve its education goals within five years.Devi Prasad Ojha, former education minister said that due to lack of strong will power to implement plans and programmes, all the goals seem to be a distant dream. “There has been a lot of experimentation in the education sector,” said Ojha. “Due to lack of resources, the progress has not stopped and the resources can still be generated if we make efforts.”

“The policy-makers should clarify out needs to the donors,” he said. “The present situation

is due to the lack of honesty among political leaders and experts,” he added.Umesh Shrestha, president of Private and Boarding Schools Organisation Nepal said that if the government encourages private institutions and provides incentives to schools then the fund allocated for scholarships can be covered. “The government should shed the age-old curriculum in schools and introduce skill-oriented subjects like information technology and vocational training so that more students can complete education and seek employment,” he added.

Dr Pushpa Shrestha, National Planning Commission member said the Education Ministry

needs to correct the low efficiency level so that gaols can be achieved on time.

According to a report presented by Bidyadhar Mallik, secretary of MoES, programmes in the

tenth plan seek to achieve a few objectives through prioritised interventions.

The programmes include ensuring primary education for all, implementing literacy and other non-formal education programmes, providing compulsory teacher’s training and technical education. The sub-sectors of education are Education for all, Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Technical and Vocational Education and Higher Education.