Dr. Shailendra Giri – Kathmandu. Recently, there is a significant increase in the number of Nepali students going abroad for higher education, and various aspects are being discussed. The data shows that those who are looking for opportunities for education abroad have sent a huge sum of 75 billion 14 million rupees abroad in a period of 11 months.
Nepal Rastra Bank has confirmed that 51.34 billion rupees were spent on foreign education till the end of May of the last fiscal year, which was mainly spent for educational purposes.
On the one hand, tourism, which occupies a large part of the service income, has increased significantly with an income of 51.88 billion rupees, on the other hand, as more money goes out through services than enters Nepal, the country has suffered a loss of 57.74 billion rupees. During the same 11-month period, the rupee has increased by a remarkable 93.8 percent compared to the previous year.
In the Educlave recently organized by WanUp in collaboration with the Nepal Educational Consultancy Association (ICAN), the speakers and stakeholders emphasized the need to create an environment that encourages students to go for foreign education. The speakers unanimously called on the Government of Nepal to establish opportunities and support systems to bring back these educated people.
The program featured three panel discussions covering important aspects of the education system, the impact of Nepali students studying abroad and the need for a new approach. Experts such as former foreign minister Vimala Rai Paudyal, member of the House of Representatives Pradeep Paudel, former secretary of the Ministry of Education Dipendra Bikram Thapa gave their opinions.
In the discussion, Congress leader and member of the House of Representatives Pradeep Paudel emphasized that the government should improve the quality of universities in Nepal rather than closing NOC. Pointing out the importance of timely exams and results, Paudel suggested that a strong education system within the country would reduce the tendency to study abroad.
Similarly, former foreign minister Vimala Rai Paudyal stressed on the need to provide quality education within Nepal and emphasized that it should be the primary responsibility of Nepali students who want to get education like in foreign institutions.
In another panel entitled ‘Expatriate Nepali Students Opportunities or Risks’, former Tourism Minister and Member of the House of Representatives Yogesh Bhattarai, former Nepali Ambassador to Australia Lucky Sherpa, educational activist Savin Joshi and other respected personalities participated.
Bhattarai expressed his concern that the intellectual capital is fleeing due to the growing trend of Nepali students going to study abroad and emphasized that talent should be created as an environment for employment in the country.
In another discussion titled ‘Effect of Foreign Education’, prominent figures including former Minister of Education Shishir Khanal, former Executive Director of Nepal Rastra Bank Nar Bahadur Thapa, education consultant Prakash Pandey also discussed the impact of foreign education.
Speakers also gave examples of people who returned to Nepal after studying abroad and made significant contributions to the society.
During the discussion, Ravi Shankar Jha, Chief Executive Officer of Wanup and organizer of Educlave, expressed his concern that the educational counseling center was not respected.
He emphasized that these centers and related businesses should be portrayed positively as they provide support and counseling to students who are going to study abroad.
Now there is no one to speak about the problems faced by the students who are studying abroad. Students need to advance their studies and employment together. But the environment is not as expected.
On the one hand, the money at home has run out and on the other hand, there is a situation where students are stranded abroad. Some students are also stuck in various difficulties while going abroad without understanding. Some have quadrupled their education. There is no atmosphere to return home.
Since the number of Nepalese students who want to pursue higher education abroad is constantly increasing, it is imperative to analyze its impact and consider it in a policy manner. Along with the development of quality education in Nepal, it is necessary to balance the desire of those who go abroad for education.
The government should create an environment that encourages students who have gone to study abroad to return and utilize their contribution to the development of the nation. Otherwise, there is no way to stop the students going to study abroad and the increasing number of students. The government has to think about this.
