Investment for nothing?
I had never been a teacher for state-funded institution with fairly higher salary than that the teachers of most of the private schools get. I would like to ask Nepali teachers who work in state-funded institutions. Have you worked much hard to ‘redefine’ your collective capacity so that you can confidently keep your child in the same institution? If you cannot be confident in answering this, I can say that Nepal’s education is in complete paradox until you represent ‘the state’ in ‘education’. I am not fully blaming to state-funded teachers, also many of bureaucrats and political leadership who see ‘teacher’ just as job, leaving ‘responsibility’ out of the mental universe. If the blame continues, I too could have many shortcomings. However, I believe that the critics should be regarded as correction opportunities.
I would be networking with teachers of private and public schools of Nepal, being on grassroot. Yet it has been much difficult to convince the teachers getting into the ethos of ‘power of collective effort’ for educational transformation in the country. Now, my aspiration is much overshadowed as I just have to use ICT to communicate with people from my country where positive aspirations are challenged by many constraints- extremely inadequate electrical energy being one of those.
In Norway, I have dealt with many professions who represent ‘state’ and found common aspect in their attitudes – full of responsibility that justifies their job. I met police, fire-fighters, lecturers, professors, drivers (public transportation), bureaucrats and so on. Their jobs and Norway as welfare-state seem to be much in symbiosis.
Nepal has been investing much in education and other sectors, yet the expected outcome that sustains itself is yet to achieve. I suggest blame-game to end and replaced by corrective criticisms; and every professions in Nepal be fair and just- for their job that is synonymous to collective responsibility.
Earning for nothing?
Many of Nepali youth members have been leaving the country in the name of 1) foreign employment and 2) higher studies. If I have to guess the figure of those who leave the country for jobs abroad, I would say almost more than ninety percent of Nepalese remittance sources end up working with frustrations in the countries where human rights of foreign workers have been compromised for economic benefit of companies. Low-pay, pathetic living- and working environment, unlawful provisions of exit-visa have been adding to the sufferings of those who leave the country and enter into debt-and-visa-trap.
I have not attempted to develop conceptual framework on the science of underdevelopment. However, the brain drain could be one of the significant aspect of it. Many intellects have been leaving the country in the name of higher studies and the dilemma of the nation is – they never aspire to return. The blame-game on existing politics and system plays imperative on this. Those, who return – are frustrated that their enthusiasm is hijacked by the self-centred attitudes of those who represent the state – political leadership and bureaucrats and most importantly – teachers. Self-centredness hereby means – neglecting responsibility as a half of job and prioritising other half of it – money.
In Norway, I find some Nepali people who know that I am a student here ask me – ” .. from work?”. Very few of those ask me – ” .. from campus?”. Sometimes, I feel that I should answer them – “We people are just overvaluing financial gains that intellectual-skill development, right?”
The money, more decently called as remuneration or salary, here plays no role in transformation of the nation-state as the most energetic force, youths wish to leave the country and set their dreams on foreign lands- in Western Europe, the USA, Japan, Canada and Australia among many other attractions for them.
Those students who become able to make money in developed countries, prioritising work hours than study hours have been purchasing over-valued properties in home country. Here comes another problem – those who work hard in country and save some amount from the remuneration, won’t be able to get a sniff of the property which has been excessively over valued by those whose elderly and ailing parents live in houses full of uneasy silence. On the other hand, what is handy if such students do not aspire to utilise the intellect and skills, living with loved-ones and working in home-country.
So, the science of ‘money for nothing’ in so called developing countries is more than I can explain.
