In a recent meeting with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, Technology, and Social Development in Gandaki Province, a collaborative project aimed at improving education took center stage. With 12 male participants, the session focused on key discussions and presentations.
Under Secretary BhojRaj Neupane opened the meeting, followed by Dr. Sushil Shrestha introducing the project. A global team-produced video showcased the initiative, and Mr. Pratit Raj Giri presented project details.
Dr. Shrestha emphasized potential collaborations with local stakeholders, including Heads of Schools (HTs), local-level government, and the province government. The Education Development Directorate and Under Secretary were tasked with updating on past trainings and exploring collaboration possibilities.
EDCU Kaski expressed readiness to coordinate trainers after the project’s Training of Trainers (ToT). They highlighted the importance of need-based training for local-level governments.
Under Secretary Neupane noted the initiative’s positive impact, highlighting the absence of street children in Pokhara. Plans were discussed to present courses to all Heads of Schools soon.
The Education Development Directorate shared efforts to address challenges, such as providing sanitary pads for girls during Secondary Education Exams. Despite budget constraints, Gandaki Province committed to promoting the initiative in its 85 palikas.
Secretary stressed the workload on Heads of Schools and urged inclusion of the initiative in their meetings. Participants raised queries about the certification process for the 3-credit course, indicating growing interest.
Stakeholders indicated interest in working with several units of governmental offices for implementation, offering technical support to nearby towns, and executing the project outcomes in different schools. Stakeholders showed interest in cooperative partnerships, demonstrating the NIC project’s potential to have a substantial impact on education in the Far Western regions.Besides, the team also visited the Provincial Research Centre office in Doti for the planning and development of the IT lab in that center.