The Ministry of Education (MoE) will be instructing private schools not to prescribe foreign publications as textbooks from the upcoming academic session.
Books by foreign publishers impart information relevant to children of their own countries rather than Nepali kids, said MoE officials who suggested that the concerned follow textbooks prepared and approved by the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC), a government body that prepares school curriculum and approves textbooks published by private publishers.
Speaking at an interaction organised by Education Journalists Group today, Mahashram Sharma, joint secretary, MoE said, “We will direct private schools and others concerned to stop using foreign published books.”
Sharma said that CDC was the sole authority for preparing school curriculum and approving textbooks, therefore schools or publishing houses should get prior approval before referring books to students and guardians.
He said schools and publishers not following government directions would be blacklisted in the next academic session.
Sharma also urged all stakeholders to join hands with the government on this mission to check the entry of irrelevant books in private schools.
“Private schools organisations should also circulate the message that textbooks from foreign publishers have been prohibited through their network,” he added.
Bijaya Sambahamphe, general secretary of Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal said books from private and foreign publishers were more updated, that is why private schools were using such books to update students with latest information.
He said, “Our motive is to give quality and updated education to our students regardless of the kind of publication.”
Meanwhile, teachers and book entrepreneurs alleged that private schools were making huge amounts through commission from private and foreign publishers.
Prabin Niraula from Nepal Book and Stationery Entrepreneurs Federation, said school owners were selling textbooks in their own school premises because they received more commission from the publishers. He said, “Private schools don’t give the list of textbooks with the names of publications to students because the schools are getting more than 50 per cent commission for selling textbooks.”
He alleged that reputed schools in Kathmandu were giving wrong message to students in the name of imparting quality education. He said, “Books from Indian Publications referred by one of the reputed schools are relevant in India because it teaches about the Indian national bird, Indian national animal, and Indian currency and others but they are being taught in Nepal in private schools and misguiding our students.”
Representatives from teachers’ organisations also urged the government to prepare code of conduct to guide all concerned in this field.
