PATAN: Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Bidya Bhattarai, has emphasized the need for universities to link their research with communities.
During a discussion on the ‘Status of Implementation of the Current Education Policy’ organized by the Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED) in Lalitpur, she highlighted the importance of enhancing students’ research capacity and skills by establishing connections between researchers and the community.
“The government has not yet been able to fully accept the subjects researched by the university.
The government, with its executive role, and the university should work in tandem, maintaining continuous dialogue between the two entities,” Minister Bhattarai noted.
She argued that around 70 percent of education should be technical and emphasized the need for coordination with universities.
She added that much remains to be done in collaboration with provincial and local levels.
Minister Bhattarai expressed her commitment to coordinating and holding discussions with universities in the field of technology.
Speaking on the occasion, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Bhola Thapa stated that the university’s role is not only to impart education and services but also to conduct research.
“Do not be afraid to do new and innovative work. Higher education should also aim to improve school education, focusing on the country’s progress and resource utilization. The work we do will be crucial in advancing Nepal’s education by evaluating our responsibility, strategy, and contribution,” Prof. Dr. Thapa said.
He emphasized that teachers should fulfill the desires of students and impart knowledge.
He also highlighted the importance of understanding international standards in the field of the latest technology and education, asserting that the university should focus on mentoring.
“We are suffering because we have abandoned traditional skills capable of enriching us in favor of modernity,” he added, expressing confidence that KU would advance effectively at both the national and international levels.
Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, Baikuntha Prasad Aryal, remarked that the enrollment rate in technical and vocational education and training agencies was not satisfactory.
He pointed out the lack of coordination between educational targets and market needs in technical education and mentioned that the government’s budget allocation for this sector was low.
He called for enhanced capacity at the CTEVT to meet market demands.
Dean of the Kathmandu School of Education, Prof. Dr. Bal Chandra Luitel, shared that the university has been working closely with the community for the past three years.
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