KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 1
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed the need to make higher education scientific, practical, job-oriented, innovative, and of quality, terming it the need of the hour.
In his address to the 11th Senate of the Mid-Western University here today, PM Deuba who is also the University Chancellor stressed the need to revise the university's curriculum to produce skilled graduates so as to change the face of the country's overall development.
"For this, scientific, applied, job-oriented and quality university education should be guaranteed by promoting collaboration among universities at home and abroad."
"We are known to the fact that the COVID pandemic has its global impact on a larger scale and the education sector is one of the areas severely affected by it," the prime minister said. He lauded the university's ability to ensure virtual classes and exams during the crisis.
He expressed hope that the university would play a significant role in generating skilled and efficient graduates and providing support to improve the people's living standard through the promotion of natural heritages, indigenous knowledge and skills inherited by the Karnali Province where it is based.
He stressed the need to focus on enhancing the quality of education in accordance with the national and international context, making educational plans and programmes research-oriented, and conducting contemporary studies of various disciplines and dimensions of social sciences.
The prime minister urged the university leadership to come with plans in a bid to develop the university into a 'centre of excellence'. The university leadership has also been asked to conduct its educational programmes successfully and act as a bridge to interlink academic efforts with the social transformation process.
The PM also said, "I believe that this university should address our local and national needs determined by our national education policy and produce human resources capable of competing in the international labour market.'' He also said the university would be effortful to promote self–employment, produce efficient graduates and encourage students to pursue a higher degree in the country, thus reducing the size of capital flight.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 2, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
