Nepal

Kathmandu, August 24

Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokhrel has said that the government should work together with the private sector to boost the education quality of community schools.

Inaugurating the second International Conference on Quality Education-2019, Minister Pokhrel said, &Since the government implemented School Sector Development Plan 2016-2023, support of private education institutions has been crucial to scale up the quality of education in rural areas, mainly through classroom teaching methods.&

The three-day conference held at Rato Bangla School, Patandhoka, drew over 600 teachers of community schools from across the country. Hundreds of experts and stakeholders from across the country and delegates from six countries have converged at the event. The conference was held at the joint initiative of Centre for Education and Human Resource Development under the Ministry of Education and Rato Bangla Foundation.

Highlighting the importance of teachers in shaping the future of students, Minister Pokhrel said, &Quality of education depends on the quality of teachers. Therefore, we must focus on improving the skills of teachers if we want to upgrade the quality of education.&

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Secretary at Minister for Education, Science and Technology Khaga Raj Baral said that investment on teachers of community schools had largely remained unproductive. He suggested that teachers of community schools should focus on capacity building more than anything else.

Chairperson of Rato Bangla Foundation Shanta Dixit said, &The conference will be helpful to replace the old teaching methodology followed by community teachers with modern teaching methods even as they are mindful of traditional values of society.&

She that said the conference would help teachers develop their students& creative and critical thinking skills. &The conference will also help promote team work among teachers,& she said.

Veronica Cody, European Unionambassador to Nepal said that every child should have equal opportunity for quality education.

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Kathmandu, August 23

Police destroyed cannabis plants growing wild in over 1,700 ropani land on the outskirts of Kathmandu yesterday.

Bouddha-based Metropolitan Police Circle and its subordinate units in association with local representatives, youth clubs, forest users groups, school teachers, students and cooperative organisation got rid of the cannabis plants in Jarsingpauwa, Bojini, Kartike and surrounding areas of Shankharapur Municipality-3.

According to Central Police News Section, more than 100,000 cannabis plant were destroyed. In June, the Narcotics Control Bureau had destroyed cannabis plants illegally cultivated in over 75,000 ropanis land in Okhreni, Chilaune, Gaurigaun, Majhgaunj, Kune and Khatritole of Gokarneshwor Municipality-1.

Senior Superintendent of Police Shyam Lal Gyawali, spokesperson for Metropolitan Police Office, said cannabis cultivation and its natural growth were posing threat to anti-drug initiative of the law enforcement agency as racketeers often lure farmers into switching to cannabis farming from traditional food crops.

Due to remote geographical locations and lack of proper monitoring mechanism of security agencies in such areas, cannabis and opium cultivation has become widespread, said a report published by the NCB. It is also gaining ground around Kathmandu valley.

Cannabis plants are destroyed to deter drug traders and prevent the youths from drug abuse. Whenever police get information about cannabis cultivation, they destroy the crops and warn the farmers not to repeat the illicit cultivation in future. Hashish is made from resin of cannabis plants and is traded at home or smuggled abroad. Existing law has defined production, transportation, sale and distribution, storage and use of drugs as a punishable crime.

In May, the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued ‘Guideline to Local Levels for Control and Prevention of Drug Abuse,& to ensure that all municipalities and rural municipalities conducted remedial and promotional activities against growing abuse of psychoactive substances. The guideline required every local level to form a 13-member committee, led by its chief.

The committee consists of representatives of youths, students, women, civil society and police force. It shall maintain a tight vigil to prevent production, smuggling, possession, sale, distribution and consumption of drugs.

According to the MoHA, annual growth rate of drug users in the country since 2007 has remained 11 per cent.

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