Nepal is entering into the main-stream of globalization of the economy and educational market. Thousands of Nepalese students prefer to go abroad for university education every year to meet their educational needs. Nepal government has not been able to address the changing needs in education and by this reason students flow is increasing at an alarming rate. Due to the pace of change in educational system, each student wants to be become globally competent and expects better income, employment and social insurance from quality education. Most of the students wish to have sound education in home country and serve in government, non government and private institutions. But multiple causes like educational environment, resource and subject of choice compel them for migration.
Educational migration is rocketing in last few years. More than hundred thousand students go for abroad study every year. The data from Ministry of Education (MoE), for the period last of two and half years (16 July 2008 to 20 December 2011, per.com.), shows that 67,863 students have taken no objection letter from the MoE. They have moved to 86 countries in the world ranking first to UK (29151), second Australia (14707), third USA (5847), fourth Japan (3044) and fifth Bangladesh (1444). Though Bangladesh and Nepal have almost similar socio-economic and political status in the international arena, I got surprised Bangladesh falls in the fifth choice for Nepalese students for higher education. There are different possible national and international political and policy factors to attract the Nepalese student to study abroad.
There are multiple reasons for educational migration from Nepal. Though, the number of universities and colleges are mushrooming in Nepal, most of them lack adequate educational facilities and trained human resources. Students have limited field exposure and traditional educational system and inadequate educational infrastructure. Nepal has became unable to develop the diversified skills and knowledge of its people that might not have capacity for managing diversified need of education with the pace of rapid change.
Most of the students who are studying in Nepalese universities (partially KU too) are frustrated from the university politics. The situation of Nepal has not changed even after country is declared as republic and this has proved that slogans only cannot make a difference. The closing of colleges and schools by students unions in the name of students are quite common phenomenon. There is no security and regular class in the college and university. Students taking their final exams inside the classroom are evacuated from the class by their mates because they are disobeying so called banda. The quality of higher education is decreasing in Nepal due to such non sense political interference. All these factors may be the causes of repulsion for Nepalese student to study in Nepal.
On the other hand, from the abroad education, students learn new technologies, develop high skills and fulfill the interest of gaining global experiences in education in the changing global context. The nature of society is changing in terms of culture, way of thinking, skills, choices, intelligence, quality of life and competency development in special need area. Another attraction for abroad education is recognition and personal satisfaction students get from abroad study than in the home country. The students who are going for abroad studies speak this phenomenon loudly and boldly. People do not hesitate to spend lot of money on abroad education even at times of financial difficulties because this is an integral part of success and a stair to economic elevation.
The educational changes in Nepal cannot be expected for couple of years. In the mean time, quality human resource from abroad education can contribute to the country to achieve her educational, political, economical and social objectives. The skill, knowledge and habit learnt from universal education can be very useful in upgrading country's educational system. These trained and qualified human resources are the property of family and society and the government can mobilize them in multiple areas based on their expertise. So, for the sake of fulfillment of quality human resource, educational migration can be perceived positively.
I think it would be interesting to see of those students that to do go abroad how many return; finish their education on time or drop out. Sometimes these students go abroad to earn money rather than benefit from the education. I have heard multiple cases of students dropping out of colleges and working (illegally) especially in the US. International education is not cheap which makes graduating on time very hard for people who think they can work and study.
ReplyDeleteSo yes international education maybe regarded highly but there are handful of students who actually return with a degree in their hand and implement their education. I don't think we should disregard Nepal's education so easily, it may not be up to the international standard and politicized, but everything in Nepal is politicized.
Therefore, I think educational migration is only positive when these students actually return and we see them implementing their education to the benefit of our country.
Achieving high quality education is one of the important reasons of international migration and its usual to see such phenomenon in Nepal. But it can not be considered rational to see that the internationally graduated people staying abroad for a long time and working there, rather than serving own country. The education that we have been achieving has failed to motivate us about our social responsibility and it has been just a process of making the younger generation eligible for entering in foreign countries. So, if the situation of brain drain remain as such, the international migration for higher education can not be considered to have positive contribution in the development process of Nepal.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Arya for raising the relevant issue with minute description.
ReplyDeleteSarcastic remarks to home country education and praise for International education have been very common in developing countries around the world. So it is not surprising to here such voice in Nepal. I think before advocating international education it would be better to think of the results produced and contribution made by international education in order bring positive change in our country. If we examine the role of individuals educated from international Universities, very few people have contributed to national development.
International degree holders are reluctant to participate in national politics(by which they could lead the nation toward stable politic and sustainable development and reasonable peace) rather they are eager to have job (as a coordinator) in some I/NGOs showing their international certificates! Similarly, creativity concerning theory generation concerning education and development according to our own context have been insignificant. In such scenario all of us have to think and find ways to improve and develop our own educational system with reference to successful educational system around the world.