Kathmandu, July 29:

Educationists and student leaders today stressed on the need to ending unfair competition in the higher secondary level and improve the quality of the government colleges.

Speaking at an interaction on ‘Unhealthy competition between private and government colleges: Challenges and opportunities’ organised by the Free Students’ Union of the Patan Multiple Campus, educationist Mana Prasad Wagle said that if the Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) controls 222 private 10+2 schools in the Valley, the unhealthy competition in private sector education would end.

He said: “The higher secondary schools (HSS) have already spent a total of Rs 19.2 million on advertising. This sows seeds for unhealthy competition as colleges try to recover their investment in advertising from the students.”

Dr Upendra Koirala, vice-president of the HSEB, said: “Our education policy lacks vision, mission and destination. The government should decide on formulating long-term education policies in this transition phase.”

Venting anger at the government’s investment of Rs 13,877 per student in the Tribhuvan University (TU) and investing just Rs 264 for 3,60,000 students of the HSS, he said the government has ignored the HSS.

He further said: “The HSS must get as much funds as the government has spend on strengthening the Proficiency Certificate Level.”

Dr Madhav Prasad Sharma, vice-chancellor at the TU, said the government should involve the private sector to maintain quality education.