E-Kantipur

APR 10 - Despite an increasing number of private colleges and higher education institutions that promise to deliver quality education, there is no end to the rapidly-increasing number of Nepali students going abroad. The numbers are rising every year, and at the last count, there were 11,581 Nepali students in the U.S. alone. Couple that with the numbers from 1995-96: 1,219.

But the U.S. is just one of a variety of choices that Nepali students have today. High up on the list are Australia, the U.K., and India, but Nepali students are also going to little-known countries such as Czech Republic and Cyprus. In 2007-08, at least 21,035 Nepali students went abroad to study, according to the Ministry of Education.

If one speaks to students who are applying to outside colleges right now, one finds almost uniform answers: the politicisation of Nepali education, and better opportunities abroad. “We want to study, and try hard to do that, but often, either the college is closed, or there are elections, or riots, or other political stuff,” says a student at Tri-Chandra College who did not want to be named. “It makes life really hard for us.” 

Compare that with Bibhusha Dangol’s determination to go abroad. Dangol, who just topped Nepal in her A Level exams, says, “Education in Nepal still relies on traditional methods such as lectures, which restricts us from discovering our potential. In the U.S., colleges have always been known for their liberal arts programmes, and the opportunity to study different subjects before deciding on a major really appealed to me.”

The most detrimental factor to Nepal’s education system is probably the political instability within the country. “Opportunities here can only get better when there is peace, security and political stability. Without this, there is no chance that people will want to study in Nepal,” says Prakash Pandey, secretary of the Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal (ECAN).

There is also the social context that forces students outside the country. For example, it is a common refrain to hear parents tell their children, “Phalano phalano ko chora ta America gaecha, ta kaile jaane ho? (Even this man’s son has gone to America. When are you going to go?)” And of course, peer pressure is equally important in convincing students that going abroad is the only way to go.

So, despite the extremely-high fees (at least for a poor nation like ours) that start from a minimum of $25,000 (Rs. 1.75 million) per year for undergraduate courses at the cheapest of universities in the U.S., the Great American Dream still plays on in many minds here. And that’s for the U.S. alone, which is comparatively more liberal with their scholarships (though the recent economic recession has seriously taken its toll). Universities in the U.K., Australia, and other parts of Europe rarely offer scholarships, and though the education is relatively cheaper—average UK education fees are around £10,000 (Rs. 1 million) a year—the living costs are often much more.

Despite this, the number of students choosing to study abroad has only increased. This year, around 30,000 students applied to various universities and colleges only in the U.S—for undergraduate courses only. It is safe to assume a similar number of people have applied to other countries, and it is quite easy to see how these numbers just keep stacking up. “At times, I wish that I had applied for studies abroad. But, I thought it would be much harder than here, which is I why I didn’t apply to India,” says the student from Tri-Chandra College. “I regret this decision now.”

This burst in students applying to colleges abroad is corroborated by various news reports over the last year. The number of Nepali students in the U.S. rose by 29.6 percent in 2008-09, while in 2007, the number of Nepali students in Australia rose by a whopping 504 percent. While similar figures aren’t available for other countries, the recent closure of U.K. student visas and the introduction of more stringent rules just goes on to highlight an issue with Nepali students going abroad.

As Pandey puts it, there are three types of people who go abroad. The first type are those who just want to go to study. People who go to study, work a bit, and save some money fall into the second category. “And then there are those who use the college as an excuse to get a visa, and just go abroad to work.” It is because of this third kind that acquiring a student visa is much more difficult for legitimate students as well.

But despite the lure of greener pastures across the sea, our southern neighbour still holds the top rank for the number of Nepalis going there to study. “True, colleges in India are politicised, but the politics doesn’t affect studies as much as they do here,” says Pandey. “Also, Indian education is very good, and quite cheap as well.”

Which is true: government colleges are considered the best in India, and fees rarely exceed IRs. 5,000 (Rs. 8,000) a year. In private colleges, fees are more expensive, but they still do not match the levels of universities abroad. Other countries in South Asia, like Pakistan and Bangladesh, are also seeing an increased inflow of Nepali students due to cheaper costs, and their proximity to Nepal.

Despite the hardships that arise from travelling halfway across the world to study in a foreign place, students still sacrifice a lot to get there—and often end up regretting there moves. “Part of the problem is the education consultancies,” says Pandey. “They rarely prepare students to study abroad. Only 10 percent of students who go abroad have done adequate research. Consultancies have to be regulated as well.”

Despite these facts, there is an interesting fact that must be told here: Nepal remains a top-spot for medical education in South Asia. “I guess this is because of a good faculty, and a constant focus on updating physical infrastructure and facilities,” says Dangol. Also, medical institutions here are either tie-ups with Indian institutions, or joint ventures with Indian educational groups.

Nepali institutions must keep this in mind, else it will continue losing more students in the exodus. “We do have a lot of good professors and teachers here, and there is a lot of potential for Nepal,” emphasises Dangol. “We want to study. Updating the infrastructure won’t hurt,” says the student from Tri-Chandra College.

Posted on: 2010-04-10 09:08

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