LB Thapa
Over the years the quality of school education has largely deteriorated despite the fact that the government has increased its budget. More money has been poured in the education sector but the achievement is far too less than anticipated. At the same time, private investment in education has started with some positive results. However, due to lack of clear policy and mushrooming of private schools the entire education system has gone awry. Meanwhile, the performance of government run schools is vastly dismal. There is no doubt at all that the government run schools require a comprehensive commitment and proper utilization of available resources to bring sea of change. If not, the standard of such schools will further degrade.
To bring improvement in government run schools is easer said than done. There is no concrete base on which a solid foundation can be laid. Government schools lack even basic infrastructures. Educational resources and skilled teachers are always inadequately supplied. On top, political interference, nepotism, favoritism and corruption have marred smooth run of government schools. More, these schools have become a sort of training centers of political parties where more politics is discussed than education. One reason of poor state of education in many government run schools is that most of the teachers hold fake Indian certificates. One can simply imagine about the pathetic condition of education when such incompetent and unqualified teachers impart education to a large number of students in the country.
The government is well aware of fake certificates holders pursuing teaching career across the country. The past government had also made a strong commitment by forming various committees to investigate the case but the zeal of the government soon evaporated. As today we can see no legal action has been taken to cease hundreds of thousands of fake certificates. The fear of government's hollow rhetoric to take severe action against the fake Indian certificate holders is now completely over. When asked to a headmaster of a government high school about the possible legal action against those teachers who hold fake Indian certificates, he laughed ridiculously and said: "No government can take any action against the fake Indian certificate holders. Who does not hold fake Indian certificates? There are many professors, doctors, engineers, politicians, police and army officers in service by holding fake Indian certificates. Does any government have guts to take legal action against these heavyweights?" It was a shocking revelation indeed---but worth contemplating.
It is generally believed that about 20 thousand teachers out of around 143 thousand carry on teaching profession with fake certificates. These sham teachers with fake certificates must be bared from teaching as there are scores of well qualified teachers stand in queue for an opportunity. It is therefore the government can't afford slowing down the investigation into the case. This is absolutely a very sensitive issue the present government should take with due attention. Those teachers teaching in schools and colleges with fake Indian certificates must be brought to book as no one can play with the future of the students. Even those teachers, who quit their jobs in fear of being caught by the investigating committee, must also be arrested by the law. They should return all the salary and benefits received over the years.
No compromise can be made against forgery practice in a sensitive sector like education. The guilty must be grilled at the earliest possible. It is true that the gravity of the problem is very sensitive but this is also true that the problem is highly complicated. The new government must resume the investigation with a renewed vigor lest guilty manage to escape.
However, this is also a golden opportunity before the Nepal Communist Party (Moist) led government to take the issue with utmost seriousness and bring all fake certificate holding teachers behind the bar. By doing this the present government can also take all the credit of successfully accomplishing the task which could not be finished by the past governments.
To bring improvement in government run schools is easer said than done. There is no concrete base on which a solid foundation can be laid. Government schools lack even basic infrastructures. Educational resources and skilled teachers are always inadequately supplied. On top, political interference, nepotism, favoritism and corruption have marred smooth run of government schools. More, these schools have become a sort of training centers of political parties where more politics is discussed than education. One reason of poor state of education in many government run schools is that most of the teachers hold fake Indian certificates. One can simply imagine about the pathetic condition of education when such incompetent and unqualified teachers impart education to a large number of students in the country.
The government is well aware of fake certificates holders pursuing teaching career across the country. The past government had also made a strong commitment by forming various committees to investigate the case but the zeal of the government soon evaporated. As today we can see no legal action has been taken to cease hundreds of thousands of fake certificates. The fear of government's hollow rhetoric to take severe action against the fake Indian certificate holders is now completely over. When asked to a headmaster of a government high school about the possible legal action against those teachers who hold fake Indian certificates, he laughed ridiculously and said: "No government can take any action against the fake Indian certificate holders. Who does not hold fake Indian certificates? There are many professors, doctors, engineers, politicians, police and army officers in service by holding fake Indian certificates. Does any government have guts to take legal action against these heavyweights?" It was a shocking revelation indeed---but worth contemplating.
It is generally believed that about 20 thousand teachers out of around 143 thousand carry on teaching profession with fake certificates. These sham teachers with fake certificates must be bared from teaching as there are scores of well qualified teachers stand in queue for an opportunity. It is therefore the government can't afford slowing down the investigation into the case. This is absolutely a very sensitive issue the present government should take with due attention. Those teachers teaching in schools and colleges with fake Indian certificates must be brought to book as no one can play with the future of the students. Even those teachers, who quit their jobs in fear of being caught by the investigating committee, must also be arrested by the law. They should return all the salary and benefits received over the years.
No compromise can be made against forgery practice in a sensitive sector like education. The guilty must be grilled at the earliest possible. It is true that the gravity of the problem is very sensitive but this is also true that the problem is highly complicated. The new government must resume the investigation with a renewed vigor lest guilty manage to escape.
However, this is also a golden opportunity before the Nepal Communist Party (Moist) led government to take the issue with utmost seriousness and bring all fake certificate holding teachers behind the bar. By doing this the present government can also take all the credit of successfully accomplishing the task which could not be finished by the past governments.
(This artical was published in People's Review Weekly, Kathmandu, Nepal)
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