National Education Conference concludes in Janakpurdham

By Dhirendra Prasad Sah ,Janakpur, June 26: The two-day first National Education Conference organised by the Madhes Province Ministry of Education and Culture concluded

by issuing a 10-point declaration in Janakpurdham on Wednesday. 

The 10-point declaration includes the preparation of necessary legal infrastructure and resource management to implement the provincial education policy among others. 

The declaration states that all information related to policies, services and procedures will be made public on the website to ensure ease and transparency in obtaining services, and necessary legislative amendments will be initiated for the establishment of skill schools and the formation of an integrated university service commission.

“Ncessary support will be provided in infrastructure research, human resources and resource management to strengthen the universities established by the province , and all educational institutions will be empowered and provided with necessary support for systematic and self-reliant operation,” read the declaration.

Concluding the programme organised with the main theme "Education is our right: Inclusive education is our commitment", Minister Rani Kumari Tiwari requested educational institutions to promote moral education as an essential part of overall development.

Earlier on Tuesday, inaugurating the conference, Chief Minister of Madhes Province, Satish Kumar Singh, criticised school management committees for hindering education reform. 

He claimed that school management committees were only focused on teacher appointments, student meals and budget matters, neglecting overall educational improvement.

Chief Minister Singh stressed the need for a curriculum aligned with knowledge, skills and technology. 

“We’ve entered the AI era, students now opt for ChatGPT for quick answers rather than asking teachers,” he said, calling education reform a major challenge in this context. He also called for collective commitment from all stakeholders to improve educational outcomes in Madhes Province.

Addressing the same event, Minister for Labour and Transport, Kaushal Kishor Ray, underscored a shortage of subject teachers in community schools. 

Similarly, Infrastructure Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav said education quality in Madhes is declining. 

He criticised the current examination model, saying short tests cannot fairly assess overall learning.

Dr. Sohan Sah, Vice-Chairman of the Policy and Planning Commission, outlined four key challenges: access, equity, quality and employment-oriented education. 

Likewise, Education Minister Tiwari stressed the need for adequate budget allocation to support education reform.

Roadmaps for developing Madhes University and Madhes Agriculture University into centres of excellence were also presented, according to Ministry Secretary Dilip Thakur.