Government’s 100 days: From examination reforms to university transformation
Kathmandu: Since the formation of the current government, significant progress has been made in improving the examination system, improving governance in universities, expanding digital services, and making service delivery more effective.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has prioritized making the examination system from secondary to university level timely, making the Foreign Study Permit (NOC) service more effective, freeing universities from party interference, and expanding digital services.
According to Ministry Spokesperson Shiva Kumar Sapkota, the results of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), Grade 12, and university-level examinations have started being published faster than before. From now on, the results of the SEE will be made public within a month of the completion of the examination, the results of Grade 12 within 40 days, and the results of universities within 65 days.
This arrangement has been implemented as per the government’s ‘100-point action plan’ on governance reforms. The action plan stipulates that universities and the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) will make the examination results public within two months of the completion of the examination, and the results of undergraduate and postgraduate levels will be published according to the academic calendar.
To make the foreign study permit (NOC) distribution system effective, it has been linked to the data systems of Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University through API. The ministry has also stated that preparations for interconnection with the National Identity Card (NIN) system have been completed. NOC and educational certificate verification services are being provided even during holidays.
Emphasis on university reforms
The ministry has stated that it has intensified the campaign to end party-based interference in universities. Preparations are being made to prevent student organizations from providing university buildings or land, remove party symbols, and implement the ‘Student Council’ and ‘Voice of Students’ systems. The ministry has stated that the work of preparing guidelines for this has reached the final stage.
The ministry claims that the academic calendar has been implemented in nine universities so far.
The ministry has stated that NOCs have been provided to 40,413 people in a period of three months, educational certificates of 12,210 people have been verified, and educational institutions operating in affiliation with 56 foreign universities have been monitored. The ministry’s progress report also mentions that all 212 complaints received through Hello Government have been resolved.
Action on study leave abuse
About Rs 500 million in revenue has been recovered so far out of the Rs 2 billion that was to be recovered from about 400 professors of Tribhuvan University who went on study leave but did not return within the specified period.
Reforms in school education
The ministry stated that it has implemented an alternative assessment system for students up to grade 5, eliminating the traditional internal examination and reducing psychological pressure. A system has also been implemented to enroll children without birth certificates in schools based on details certified by the local level.
Preparations are underway to issue the necessary procedures through the University Grants Commission to make it mandatory for students to study up to the bachelor’s level.
Digital services and administrative reforms
The ministry stated that it has taken forward the preparation of the e-pension card system for teachers, the final draft of the National Quality Standards for School Education, the implementation of regulations related to the Collaborative Academic Degree Program, and the restructuring of service delivery (Business Process Reengineering-BPR).
The ministry has also started digital signature verification, expansion of the GIOMS system, establishment of a help desk for complaint management, and listing and implementation of reports of various commissions, the ministry said.
Research, Budget and Educational Reforms
The ministry has published the Educational Information 2083 and completed a comprehensive review and policy analysis of the research conducted by the Ministry of Education and its subordinate bodies. The reports of 560 undergraduates and six postgraduates who returned after completing their studies on scholarships have been received and sent to the concerned bodies.
The medium-term expenditure structure report has been sent to the National Planning Commission and the budget limit received from the Ministry of Finance has also been communicated to the concerned bodies.
A total of 1,632 people, including 629 in grade 10 and 1,03 in grade 12, have been provided equivalence. The ministry has stated that the policy guidelines related to national assessment have reached the final stage with the aim of making the learning achievement test of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10 reform-oriented and an assessment framework has been prepared.
The ministry has stated that the final draft of the National Quality Standards for School Education has been prepared and an agreement has been reached between the Medical Education Commission and the Policy Research Institute to study the scope of work of the Medical Education Commission, scholarship management, fee determination and work operation system, and research has begun.
After most of the university officials who were filled through political appointments were relieved of their posts, temporary arrangements have been made for the daily administration and the selection of new officials through a fair and competitive process has reached the final stage. Interviews and presentations for the selection of vice-chancellors of eight universities have begun from Saturday.
Similarly, employment, skill development, psychosocial counseling in the government, public and private sectors for families and citizens affected by the Gen-z movement