Last blog was about the modern education in Nepal. It is true that education pays not only people but also to the nation. Access to education is important in this aspect. This is because Nepal has to do a lot of works to go ahead in improving lifestyle and way of thinking that the modern world deserves. It is high time that our people should be at par to the international level.
Knowledge is POWER.
Regarding the education system around Nepal neighboring countries a lot of lessons can be drawn. Education system of Sri Lanka is good in the sense that it has managed to have high literacy rate ( 92%) and large population having Secondary Education (83% of the total) making it one of the most literate populations amongst developing nations. Sri Lanka has an education system of 9 years of compulsory schooling same as in Japan. Another system it has been catering is free education system since 1945. Many people have credited this to the visionary personality Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara.
Benefits of Free education are;
- Remedy of social evils
- Greater competitiveness
- Improved quality of life
- Better governance and
- Equal opportunities
Comparing to Nepal, education was a limited to certain class and rich only. Idea of free education emerges only during the time of King Birendra's Coronation in 1975 (2031 B.S). King Birendra (1945-2001) said once that no one should be deprived of the bright light of education. He proclaimed the primary (5 years ) education free. This was only the case in the government supported educational institutions. After the 1990s democracy time education was claimed to be free up to the secondary level (10 years of education) but due to the lack of financial support this has not been the case. Actually classes up to 8 is free in the government schools. In the coming days Nepal needs to introduce the compulsory education of 9 years and made higher education more accessible to all strata of life. It should be part of life rather than a luxury item for some.
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