A recent meeting at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, chaired by Honorable Minister Mrs. Bidya Bhattarai, Chairperson of the National Curriculum Council, has resulted in significant curriculum decisions to enhance education in Nepal. The meeting approved several new curricula and revisions for both secondary and basic levels, with a focus on regional languages and specialized subjects.
One of the key decisions was the approval of the revised elective geography curriculum for grades 9-10, incorporating suggestions from stakeholders. Additionally, the Ministry has recommended the inclusion of several mother tongue languages in the school curriculum. These include the Limbu language for grades 9-10, Bantawa Rai language for grades 6-8, Doteli language for grades 1-3, and Wayung Rai language for grades 1-3, all at the secondary and basic levels. These changes are expected to strengthen the teaching and study of indigenous languages at the school level.
Another important development was the approval of a new structure for Gonpa education, aligning compulsory and elective subject groups. Under the new framework, Nepali, English, Social Studies, and Life Skills Education, or Mathematics, will be compulsory. Students can choose two subjects from the elective groups, with an additional subject available for those wishing to pursue further studies. This new structure aims to provide a more systematic and timely education for students in Gonpas and Viharas.
The Ministry also ensured uniformity in the name of the Social Studies subject across grades 4-12. Grades 4-5, 6-8, and 11-12 will also have the same name, "Social Studies," as grades 9-10.
In a move to modernize Sanskrit and Gurukul education, the inclusion of Tantra Shastra as a subject was also approved. This subject will be available in the elective second group for grades 9-10 and in the elective first group for grades 11-12.
