The School Education Bill, which was registered in the House of Representatives on August 27, 2080, has been under discussion for one and a half years. Government school teachers across the country have been protesting in Kathmandu for more than a week demanding that their problems be addressed in the same bill.

On the other hand, the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee of the House of Representatives is discussing in the committee after the provincial level interaction recently. Attempts are being made to finalize the bill by forming a sub-committee. 

But what will be the form of special education when such an important law is being made? How to improve the curriculum and teaching method? There is no concrete debate on this. Committee discussions and interactions among the three levels of government, who will run the education sector? They are only focused on the issue of whose administrative role will be what. Which is overshadowing the issue of improving the quality of education and adopting a new educational system. Now that the teachers' movement and their demands are being discussed, the government and stakeholders should also take concrete steps to improve the quality of education and improve the international level education system. 

Going abroad for quality education is increasing. There is a problem of not getting a job after studying. So every parent is attracted to study their children abroad. Why did this happen? The root cause of this can only be found by entering into the system of education. The need of the moment is to produce international quality curriculum and academic manpower accordingly. To fulfill that need, a new foundation should be laid legally. Therefore, when making laws, it is necessary to adopt the quality of education and educational methods that are considered successful in international education from the curriculum at the school level. But neither the Ministry of Education seems to be sensitive about this nor the local levels. 

The Constitution of Nepal has ensured education as a fundamental right. Therefore, education is the natural right of every citizen. But the purpose of education is not only to make citizens literate. If the main objective of education is to produce educated and capable academic manpower who can work in the global market, now there is a need for reform in educational policies and courses from school level to higher education in Nepal. If reforms are not made in time, the compulsion of citizens to spend expensive money and go abroad will not be stopped. The current curriculum of Nepal does not have the ability to acquire knowledge suitable for the modern age. In today's globalized and technology-friendly world, education should also be in line with that. But unfortunately, the courses in Nepal have not become technology friendly, the old tradition of learning is still there. The level of digital literacy is very poor. 

The overall situation of Nepal's current education sector is in transition of achievements and challenges. About 95 percent enrollment is at the primary level. Which is a huge achievement. But the educational level and quality of the country is not according to that.

About thirty percent of government school teachers have not even received formal training, as a result of which students have to struggle for basic literacy and basic arithmetic. Many rural and remote areas do not even have basic infrastructure. 

Although the quality of government schools is poor due to weaknesses in government management, it is better than private schools. Therefore, people with normal economic conditions want to educate their children in private and good educational environment schools and colleges. 

Private schools are providing some more modern textbooks, technology and extracurricular resources than public schools. They have helped to enrich the learning experience of the students and develop diverse skills. Appoints teachers who are best qualified and proficient in modern teaching techniques. A study showed that 75 percent of teachers in private schools in urban areas have at least a bachelor's degree, compared to only 45 percent in public schools.

The question of curriculum reform

The fact that the private sector has played a significant role in providing quality education is a matter accepted by all. The rapid expansion of private schools has helped meet the demand for education that the public sector has not been able to meet.

According to the Ministry of Education, currently around thirty percent of students across the country are studying in private schools. While public schools serve the majority of students, private schools are contributing to diversifying the educational landscape and providing alternative learning pathways. 

Some of the new international courses of private educational institutions have prepared the infrastructure to teach International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, and British  courses as well. Courses that emphasize essential skills such as critical thinking, creativity and global awareness. But while trying to advance such courses, the government is facing some difficulties. The government has not shown leniency in implementing such courses. The private sector is sought to be reined in when it comes to implementing excellent curriculum and teaching methods. In today's global era, the curriculum that can improve the educational quality should be welcomed openly. 

Let's look at the example of neighboring countries India and China: Even countries like China, which have a communist ideology and a communist system, are emphasizing on IB education. There are currently 295 IB World Schools operating there. 245 schools in India are offering IB. According to data up to October 2024, IB is being taught in 5,900 schools in 160 countries around the world.

Big countries such as America, India and China are now not only excelling in the education sector by embracing the new education system, they are producing skilled manpower in every field. Currently, the academic manpower of China and India is sought after in the world in any field. But we have a narrow mindset in thinking about such matters and making policy arrangements. By stopping the introduction of new methods, an attempt is being made to create obstacles in improving the quality of education. Shouldn't the people in office think liberally with the agenda and role of educational reform? The quality cannot be improved by carrying only the traditional and conservative thinking of educational reform. 

Even now, some educational programs like Cambridge A Level, India's CBSEE model are being implemented in Nepal. But now not only this but also other educational methods of international method have come. If we try to prevent the introduction of international quality education system, the current curriculum may make our educational manpower useless in the world market in the coming days. 

On the other side, now a class is being born in Nepal as well. Who is ready to make any investment to give world class education to his children. People in the same category are also sending people abroad for everything from school to higher education saying that the quality here is not enough. Not all of the students who go abroad now go there with the intention of getting a job and later arranging permanent residence. Most of them went in search of world-class education. If foreign quality education can be given to such students in Nepal, educational migration can be reduced. It is definitely not a good situation if we stop implementing world-class education here, but Nepali people continue to go abroad for the same education.

Some people try to prevent the introduction of international education system, and to adapt the curriculum here, saying that it has an impact on social cultures. This means restricting the acquisition of knowledge. The social and cultural issues here can be molded into the international system. We can adopt a new method to mold the current curriculum into a more practical model. Now, whoever wants to get any kind of education should create the same environment. 

Some people accuse private schools in Nepal of commercializing education, being profit oriented and overshadowing the quality of education. While the concerns raised about the commercialization of education are legitimate, the issue needs to be thoroughly understood and evaluated based on facts. To say that private schools are purely for-profit is to deny the massive positive impact they have had on the educational system. Are the efforts of private schools to improve the quality of education wrong? Is the investment made by private educational institutions only for profit? Exceptions are everywhere, some institutions have failed at some point. But understanding it as a whole, it is wrong to make the impression that private individuals are all profit-oriented. Private educational institutions are working to create equal opportunities and provide access to quality education through scholarships for marginalized communities. It is not fair to discourage private educational institutions by making light comments. 

Public-Private School Collaboration

Instead of viewing private and public schools as competing entities, encouraging collaboration between the two improves the overall quality of the education system in Nepal. Private schools implement methods based on student-centered teaching, project-based learning, and the use of technology. Such exercises can be done jointly. professional development of

teachers is essential to improve the quality of education. Private schools often invest heavily in teacher training, which can be used to run joint training programs with public schools.

Long-term education reform requires strategic decisions to develop a quality, inclusive and modern education system. To make these reforms successful, the budget should be increased in the education sector. Investments should be made in school infrastructure, teacher training, curriculum development and introduction of international system of education. The quality of education is directly related to the efficiency of teachers. However, the current teacher training system is insufficient. 

The way forward

Nepali students should now develop a world-class competitive education system by revising the curriculum and creating a basis for preparing manpower that can be sold in the international market. Internship and training programs should be started to teach students practical skills. 

If Nepal's education system does not embrace technology, multi-skills and a curriculum that is in line with international standards, educational reforms will be limited to slogans. The trend of Nepalese leaving for quality education will not stop. It is important for the government to understand this at the earliest. Seeing private schools and administrators as only profit-seeking and portraying their educational contribution as a business is going on, if the private educational institution administrators get out of it one day, can government educational institutions meet the current demand for quality education? Both the government and the parliament need to pay special attention to this issue. Now there is a coalition government of major political parties including UML and Congress. If desired, it can provide an important starting point for educational reform. Therefore, while the budget and policies and programs are being prepared for the new academic session and the financial year, there should be a comprehensive rethinking of education policies.