KATHMANDU: Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Sumana Shrestha, emphasized the need to bridge the significant gap between school education and higher education, stating that the government has initiated efforts in this direction.

Addressing the meeting of the House of Representatives’ Health and Information Technology Committee, Minister Shrestha stressed the importance of universities producing skilled human resources to create employment opportunities, aligning with the common goals of both school and higher education sectors.

She further highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing anomalies and irregularities within Tribhuvan University (TU), the country’s oldest university.

TU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Keshar Jung Baral acknowledged the challenges in implementing comprehensive reforms, especially in academics, citing the interference of political parties through their affiliated organizations within the university.

Dr. Baral expressed the university’s commitment to implementing the academic calendar from the next year and curbing the trend of students seeking higher education abroad.

During the meeting, lawmakers raised concerns about various anomalies within TU, including over-politicization and instances of exam question leaks, urging the university to take corrective measures.

In a related discussion, Sports Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha highlighted the lack of budgetary allocation for sports infrastructure development and athlete motivation.

He specifically mentioned the inadequacy of funds for upgrading the Tribhuvan University cricket stadium to international standards and for enhancing other major cricket stadiums and constructing new ones.

Minister Shrestha informed the committee that 253 athletes have received training within the country and abroad in preparation for the 19th Asian Games. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to amend sports-related laws and the National Youth Policy.