53 Nepali lose their lives in nine months in Japan

By Surya Prasad Pandey, Kathmandu, April 13: A serious problem has emerged in the educational consultancy business that provides counseling to students wishing to go abroad for higher education. As the number of students leaving the country without proper guidance continues to rise, many are facing severe difficulties after reaching foreign countries. 

Due to the financial, mental, and other forms of stress they experience abroad, many students have even lost their lives. 

The problems created by the misconduct of some unethical consultancy businesses have become so severe that even the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is struggling to address them.

According to the ministry, 53 Nepalis died in Japan alone during the period from July/August to April 1. Among those who lost their lives, the majority are students, and many of the deaths were due to suicide.

According to Semanta Koirala, Under Secretary at the Educational Counseling and Certification Branch of the ministry, the fact that so many people have died prematurely in a single country within a period of less than one year clearly shows that students were not provided with adequate counseling before going abroad.

Not so long ago, Japanese Embassy for Nepal said that there needs to be strict monitoring of the 

Just a few days ago, the Nepali Embassy in Japan sent this data and stated that fraud committed in the name of consulting organizations should be strictly monitored.

It has been observed that financial reasons is the main reason behind the suicide rate of Nepali students in Nepal. Legally, students can work only for 28 hours a week, but, there is a rampant problem of not finding those work during those hours. Although some students manage to work the permitted 28 hours and also secretly work additional hours at other times, this opportunity is not available to everyone.

Under Secretary Semanta Koirala said, “If students and their parents had been properly counseled about the possible problems they might face in the future before going to any country, perhaps such incidents could have been reduced.”

Despite bringing many consultancy operators who trap students through misleading counseling under legal action, the problem has still not been brought under control.

At present, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology receives complaints almost every day from students and parents claiming that they have been cheated after falling into the trap of consultancy businesses.

Some complaints are submitted in writing with the consultancy’s name clearly mentioned, while others are made verbally.

Ministry does its best with the complaint, and when it cannot be sorted out, they send it to the CIB.