Reforming the Educational System of Nepal: A Call for Structural Overhaul

Nepal’s education system is facing a moment of reckoning. As school-level teachers across the country take to the streets, demanding the long-delayed passage of the School Education Bill from the Parliament, their agitation brings into sharp focus the larger crisis engulfing the sector. While teachers in community schools enjoy better salaries and job security compared to their counterparts in private schools, the quality of education in community schools remains alarmingly poor. Even more concerning is the overall performance of the primary to high school education system in the country, whether community-based or private.

Despite years of educational reforms, the results are sobering. The average pass percentage in the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) continues to hover around a dismal 50%. Life skills, value-based education, and the competitive edge required in today's global economy are sorely lacking among our students. Compared to peers in developed and industrialized nations, Nepali students are at a disadvantage both in terms of academic preparation and life readiness.

The higher education sector is faring no better. Government-funded universities and colleges are underperforming, mired in outdated pedagogies, bureaucratic inertia, and misaligned curricula. Ironically, while organizations are actively seeking skilled employees, countless graduates remain unemployed, an unmistakable indicator of the growing mismatch between the skills needed in the market and those being produced by our institutions.

This disconnect is further highlighted by the disturbing trend of students opting to leave the country immediately after completing Class 12. The exodus has become so widespread that it raises urgent questions about our nation’s ability to harness its demographic dividend. With a population pyramid tilted in favor of youth, Nepal has the raw potential to develop a strong base of human capital. Yet, this opportunity is slipping through our fingers.

Part of the problem lies in the University Service Commission’s outdated approach. Instead of building an agile, forward-looking recruitment and service evaluation system, it continues to take pride in low pass rates, measuring success by exclusivity rather than by competence or alignment with national needs. The bigger issue, however, is even more fundamental: What kind of human capital do we need? What kind of higher education philosophy should guide us? These questions remain largely unanswered.

It is time for an overhaul of Nepal’s education system, not just incremental reforms, but bold, structural changes that will reorient our focus towards building a competitive, ethical, and inclusive educational ecosystem. I propose the following changes:

1. Prioritize K–12 Education through Strengthened Community Schools

The government must take full responsibility for K–12 education, focusing on quality teaching, strong infrastructure, and equitable access. Teachers should be empowered through training, autonomy, and accountability mechanisms. Education at this level must integrate life skills, values, creativity, and critical thinking into the curriculum.

2. Establish Specialized Schools for Diverse Learners

Children with special needs deserve tailored education. The government should invest in inclusive and specialized schools across regions to ensure that every learner, regardless of ability, gets access to quality education and personal growth opportunities.

3. Encourage Quality Private Boarding Schools with Cultural Roots

Let private schools offer boarding and specialized education, drawing inspiration from successful global models such as British-style boarding schools, yet rooted in Nepali values and context. These schools can fill gaps in elite and technical education for middle and upper-income families.

4. Let the Private Sector Take the Lead in Higher Education

Higher education should be opened up to private investment with strict quality controls. This would reduce the burden on the government while fostering competition, innovation, and excellence. The private sector must be seen not as an adversary but as a partner in development.

5. Strengthen the Role of UGC

The University Grants Commission (UGC) must evolve into a powerful governing and regulatory body for higher education. It should be empowered to set quality benchmarks, approve curricula, oversee funding, and evaluate institutional performance across both public and private sectors.

6. Grant Autonomy to Universities with Accountability

Universities should be given academic and administrative autonomy, but with this freedom must come ethical responsibility, transparency, and performance-based evaluations. Leadership in universities must be merit-based, not politically influenced.

7. Invest in Community Colleges

The community college model, long a backbone of higher education for underprivileged students, must be revived and expanded. With adequate government funding, these colleges can guarantee quality, affordable, and skill-based education, providing a viable alternative to expensive private institutions.

8. Formalize the Role of “Helmet Teachers” into Dignified Academic Paths

Thousands of part-time or contract teachers, often referred to as Helmet Teachers, have been contributing to higher education without recognition or proper institutional pathways. UGC should develop a dignified professorial track for such educators through structured evaluation and regulation.

(About Author: Dr Kishor Adhikari is the Campus Chief of ICMS Samarpan Academy, Dhumbarahi)