Phidim, March 12

Lack of coordination between Panchthar District Education Office, donor agency and local stakeholders has hindered implementation of e-learning programme in Panchthar.

The e-learning programme was supposed to begin on January 1.

Equality Foundation, established by Nepalis living in the US, has provided financial assistance for the programme. Due to lack of preparations, the programme was rescheduled for January 1 after missing the original deadline. The e-learning programme was slated to begin in 15 schools of Phidim Municipality, and Nangin and Bharapa VDCs as pilot projects.

A three-member task force led by DEO section officer Yugmani Sabehang was formed for implementation of the programme.

Equality Foundation had appointed former member of the district education committee Radhakrishna Neupane as the programme coordinator. After Neupane’s appointment, the task force had decided to launch the e-learning programme from January 1 this year.

Neupane, however, attributed the delay in launching the programme to high cost of tower installation for internet connection and the foundation’s representatives not coming to Panchthar. Stakeholders expressed grave concern about the uncertainty facing the ambitious project, which aimed to launch e-learning in 87 secondary schools of six districts. Neupane said DEO Gyanmani Nepal’s transfer even before the agreement had added to the delay.

Stakeholders today requested the DEO to take initiatives for implementation of the programme that focuses on effective online teaching-learning activities.