'We changed many political systems but not education system'

Published On: February 8, 2020 12:24 PM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, Feb 8: Former President Dr Ram Baran Yadav has expressed concerns over environmental degradation caused by deforestation. 

While inaugurating the Science Technology Engineering and Management (STEM) workshop at Uniglobe Secondary School in Kathmandu on Friday, Yadav made critical remarks of how forests in the hills and plains are being cut down in the name of development. 

“It seems like wherever there is greenery there are dozers to ravage it,” he said. “I have travelled to different places of the country recently and this is what I saw.”

The former president argued that our education should be tailored to address the environmental damages, including the global threat to climate change. 

“Water resources are drying up. Chure is being ravaged and forest areas in tarai are declining because of our haphazard approach to development. The way natural resources are being ravaged brings tears to my eyes,” he said. 

Yadav also called for tailoring education policies to meet the challenging needs of the modern times. “We changed many political systems but we have not been able to transform our education system,” he further said.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of Finland to Nepal, Perti Anttinen, highlighted the need for making STEM education meaningful and understandable. 

He also said that Finland is ready to support STEM education in Nepal. 

Vice-chancellor of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Dr Sunil Babu Shrestha said that Nepal does not have human resources to teach STEM in many of the schools and colleges. He said this reflects our poor standing in Global Innovation Index (GII). Nepal stands at 109th position in GII as recorded in 2019.

“Eighty percent of jobs that will be created in the future will require STEM skills for students to get them. The workshop is an attempt on our part to bring all stakeholders together to discuss the need for enhancing STEM education in Nepal,” said Dr Karan Singh Thagunna, the principal of Uniglobe Secondary School.


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