Minister of Education, Science, and Technology Highlights Community Engagement in University Research
Minister of Education, Science, and Technology Vidya Bhattarai emphasized the importance of connecting university research with the community. During a discussion on current education policy implementation organized by Kathmandu University's School of Education in Lalitpur, she stressed the need for engaging researchers with the community and developing student-focused training, skills, and capacities.
Government and University Collaboration
Minister Bhattarai pointed out that the government has not sufficiently focused on the subjects researched by universities. She advocated for an interconnected approach where the government and universities work together through continuous dialogue. She identified the lack of prioritization by the state as a reason for youth emigration and proposed mutual cooperation and collaboration as solutions.
Focus on Technical Education
The minister emphasized the need for coordination with universities to prioritize 70% technical education. She acknowledged that significant work remains to be done in collaboration with provincial and local levels. Developing training and funds that align with the aspirations of the youth is crucial for contributing to the country’s development.
Student-Centric Approach
Minister Bhattarai highlighted the importance of being student-friendly by focusing on training, skills, and capacity building from the students’ perspective. She called for integrating the plans determined by all three levels of government and expressed confidence that the conclusions from the two-day program would benefit the ministry. She noted the importance of coordination and discussion with universities in the field of technology.
University's Role in Research
Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University, Prof. Dr. Bhola Thapa, emphasized that the university's role extends beyond providing education and services to conducting research. He encouraged undertaking new and innovative work to improve school and higher education, focusing on the country’s advancement and resource utilization. He highlighted the importance of recognizing engineers providing technical education at the school level and fulfilling students' demands by imparting knowledge accordingly.
Challenges and Modernization
Prof. Dr. Thapa pointed out the challenges Nepal faces in keeping up with international standards in new technology and education. He stressed the importance of university mentoring and transitioning from traditional skills to modernity despite the difficulties faced. He highlighted Kathmandu University’s effective progress both nationally and internationally.
Technical and Vocational Education
Joint Secretary of the Ministry, Baikuntha Prasad Aryal, noted that the enrollment rate in technical and vocational education and training institutions is unsatisfactory. He mentioned the misalignment between targets and market needs in technical education and pointed out the inadequate budget allocation by the government. He emphasized the need to enhance the capacity of CTEVT according to market demand.
Community Collaboration
Dean of Kathmandu School of Education, Prof. Dr. Bal Chandra Luitel, informed that the university has been working with the community for the past three years, collaborating with 19 municipalities and 36 educational institutions, as well as other private institutions across the country.
Long-term Commitment
Former Dean and Professor Dr. Mahesh Nath Parajuli shared that the university has been working in the field of technical and vocational education for a long time, conducting programs in five different locations across the country and researching various subjects for the past seven years. He stated that the university aims to assist the federal government by making research and statistics in technical and vocational education reliable.
