Despite the government's directives mandating schools revise textbooks at least every three years, private schools continue to operate with impunity, perpetuating the practice of changing textbooks just before each new academic session commences. The disregard for governmental directives, coupled with the failure of relevant bodies to enforce them, has frustrated parents.
Abhishek Ghimire, coordinator of the nationwide National Education Campaign Nepal, cites the primary reasons for textbook revision during the onset of each new academic session as the nexus between private publications and the school commission. Ghimire notes, "Schools, taking commissions of up to fifty percent from publishers, change textbooks frequently, burdening parents financially."
He further states, "The distortion prevalent in the textbook business, where principals are tempted, is a matter of concern for the education sector." Eventually, parents bear the burden of these increased costs while purchasing new textbooks."
Due to the higher costs incurred, private schools' natural adjustment of fees, often accompanied by an increase, seems inevitable. Even after charging minimal fees, some schools still provide a quality education. However, Ghimire asserts that these schools haven't compromised on the quality of teaching.
Ghimire further points out that only private schools have experienced increased fees and textbook changes over the past year, per governmental decisions. The lack of synchronization with governmental decisions after curriculum changes makes it apparent that the educational expenses imposed on parents exceed the intended boundaries.
The Chief of the Morang District Education Development and Coordination Unit, Tanka Prasad Gautam, highlights the need for local authorities to increase vigilance and monitoring to address the issue of private schools admitting more students than their capacity allows. Some community schools admit up to 55 students in a single classroom, while in private schools, the number is limited to around 30 students per class.
Krishna Raj Rai, Chief of the Education and Social Development Section of Letang Municipality, emphasizes institutional and systematic monitoring to ensure healthy competition, a clean educational environment, and the continuous evaluation of institutional progress. He praises the genuine efforts of schools within legal boundaries and reiterates that Letang has not experienced any textbook revisions following government decisions.
In cases of detected violations of prescribed standards, the municipality remains committed to acting within its jurisdiction, emphasizing the importance of supporting employees and subject expert teachers in maintaining quality standards. He asserts that schools are continuously monitored.
