KATHMANDU, July 23

The Ministry of Education has started discussions on drafting of new education policy.

MoE Spokesperson Hari Lamsal said, “The ministry is planning to prepare a new education policy by consolidating the existing policies of various educational entities.”

He stated that two educationists — former joint secretaries Janardan Nepal and Mahashram Sharma — presented the details of existing education policies and suggested that officials identify the gaps and shortcomings in the existing policies.

According to Saraswoti Pokharel, Assistant Spokesperson for MoE, they also discussed the structure of education system in municipalities and VDCs in the country during the programme organised to discuss the new education policy.

Similarly, discussions were also held on free and compulsory education to the children. “Debate is still on among MoE officials on whether to make education completely free and compulsory or to give quality education by charging a certain amount of fee,” she said.

English being an international language, guardians want their children to learn English in schools, but at the same time the existing policy talks about giving education in mother tongue, which is contradictory and needs to be resolved, Pokharel added.