Schools across Nepal continue to use an overwhelming number of sub-standard and unauthorised books as part of their curricula. According to a government survey, the volume of such books is over 75 percent.
Take for example this passage from a Grade 8 ‘Civics and Moral Education’ book published in English by Vidyarthi Pustak Bhandar and written by four university professors which are being used by some very reputed schools in Kathmandu. “We are the citizens of Nepal, one of the many countries of the world. Nepal is the country of us, the Nepalese. There is unity in diversity in Nepal as the main characteristics of Nepalese people. We lived here with unity and our country was formed.” The errors in such unauthorised books are common occurrences.
Despite a Supreme Court (SC) directive not to incorporate books that are not approved by the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC), the majority of private schools is using unapproved books, according to the CDC survey.
Though Clause 8 of the Education Act 1971 and the Education Regulation 2002 clearly state that approval from the CDC is a must before incorporating books into the school curriculum, most private schools are happily flouting legal provisions for hefty commissions from publishers. According to Suprabhat Bhandari, President of Guardians’ Association Nepal and also a member of the central level monitoring committee under the Department of Education, schools are using such books as publishers offer the a ‘handsome commission.’
The recent survey carried out by CDC in 40 private schools of the Valley shows that some 75 percent of the text books are unapproved. “Just a couple of schools were found using approved books in a set,” Nirmal Ghimire, under secretary at the CDC said. “The so-called top schools are way ahead in flouting rules. Among dozens of books used by them, only a few were found to have been approved.” Similar was the finding carried out by the monitoring committee. Bhandari said only 20-25 percent of textbooks are legally approved. Many schools, mainly big ones including GEMS, Little Angels, DAV and Galaxy were found using Indian books, according to Bhandari. Even Private and Public Schools Association of Nepal (PABSON) is said to be involved in pushing unapproved books.
Take for example this passage from a Grade 8 ‘Civics and Moral Education’ book published in English by Vidyarthi Pustak Bhandar and written by four university professors which are being used by some very reputed schools in Kathmandu. “We are the citizens of Nepal, one of the many countries of the world. Nepal is the country of us, the Nepalese. There is unity in diversity in Nepal as the main characteristics of Nepalese people. We lived here with unity and our country was formed.” The errors in such unauthorised books are common occurrences.
Despite a Supreme Court (SC) directive not to incorporate books that are not approved by the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC), the majority of private schools is using unapproved books, according to the CDC survey.
Though Clause 8 of the Education Act 1971 and the Education Regulation 2002 clearly state that approval from the CDC is a must before incorporating books into the school curriculum, most private schools are happily flouting legal provisions for hefty commissions from publishers. According to Suprabhat Bhandari, President of Guardians’ Association Nepal and also a member of the central level monitoring committee under the Department of Education, schools are using such books as publishers offer the a ‘handsome commission.’
The recent survey carried out by CDC in 40 private schools of the Valley shows that some 75 percent of the text books are unapproved. “Just a couple of schools were found using approved books in a set,” Nirmal Ghimire, under secretary at the CDC said. “The so-called top schools are way ahead in flouting rules. Among dozens of books used by them, only a few were found to have been approved.” Similar was the finding carried out by the monitoring committee. Bhandari said only 20-25 percent of textbooks are legally approved. Many schools, mainly big ones including GEMS, Little Angels, DAV and Galaxy were found using Indian books, according to Bhandari. Even Private and Public Schools Association of Nepal (PABSON) is said to be involved in pushing unapproved books.
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