Educational Planning

By: Prem Prasad Sigdel

Education is an important infrastructure for personal and national development which is directly beneficial to a person whereas it is beneficial to the nation at last. The development of education itself is a crucial issue for the developing countries. We need systematic planning in education to meet the goal of education for all. Or it’s better to remember Chinese proverb that we should plan for hundred years for education so that we can get positive result of it. Systematic and concise planning is necessary in the field of education to produce qualitative/ moral/ethical manpower for the nation. The quality or output of education can be seen only if we have planned systematically.

Adult Education (AE) has been taken as the vehicle of social with the promotion of economic activities in the country. Other countries have already started it and they have been getting good results but we have been reeling in the political affairs only. In this way, Nepal seems far back in educational planning and its implementation in comparison to other Asian countries. Mostly, Nepal focused on its education only after the introduction of democracy in 1990. The New Educational System had begun from 1971; however, it didn’t come into effect till many years. Or it remained within the control of Royal regime in the country. The focus mostly went to the formal education, and adult education had been taken as some extra things or waste of time and money. Or it has been ignored deliberately when other countries have already started.

The focus mostly goes to the formal primary education rather than Adult Education. In Nepal Adult Education had taken its space in the first Five Year Plan or from 1956. At that time, it had been taken as one of the part of literacy campaign. Moreover, the focus had been on general literacy rather than functional literacy. However, the systematic planning happened in 1997 which also lacked systematic implementation till this time.

On the other hand, in Thailand, The Philippines, and in India, it was initiated in 1970s; whereas we have formulated first New Education Planning in 1971. Among them, India couldn’t progress though the systematic planning had already started in comparison to others. It is evident that we are always back in planning. Planning established system in the country and system leads to rational implementation of the programs. We have lacked such things though the planning of education is necessary to educated people. Adult Education is necessary to those who can’t get formal education or those who want to increase their income getting knowledge of entrepreneurship. If we have started planning on time, we can step further for progression and it can establish rule which is one of the indicators of a civilized society. In comparison to these countries we are 20 years back; so we can feel the pace of our development of our country.

We are back due to the problem that we don’t focus on education though it is the key to development. If we can’t promote education, we can’t educate our citizen which has negative impact in their life. Education has upward mobility which has ensured greater opportunity or output for any person or the nation. Only the educated person can create opportunity to earn more money which is 10 times high chance than the uneducated one. They have the ability or capacity to earn more in comparison to illiterate persons so we should promote education to create employment in the country. For example, China and Japan had more than 70% literacy rate in the 1940s when the Second World War had happened. Nowadays we have been alluring with the development of these countries whereas we have 65.9% literacy rate in 2011. It is estimated that it has crossed 70% nowadays. Its clear that we are 70 years back in comparison to these countries.

We should have planning on time to get everything to be done. If we are running without planning, we can’t go anywhere. Planning establishes system; system leads to rule; rule leads to discipline; then it leads to development of the nation making all the people educated. We have been being envious with the progression of China and Japan, but we don’t try to promote our education. We need to clean our house rather than being envious to others. On the other hand, planning also reflects the capacity or us to deal with the future problems. It’s also a measuring rod of our civilization movement. The present scenario proves that we are at least two decade back in comparison to Asian counterparts; whereas 200 years back than the Western world.

We must have well systematic planning to get the set goal for that we need better knowledge which is possible through education. Education is the key to development so that we have to prepare a key to open the door of development. For the progression of the country educational planning is inevitable as it paves the way to move ahead. When we prepare path we have possibility to go ahead neither would we have to start to dig the path. Other countries have already paved the way; they have already moved ahead; we have been following them.

To be together with them or to win them we have to do systematic planning first; moreover, we should inject more investment with commitment to get the goal. Both of the things lack in our country so we can talk only; but can do nothing. The developed countries like Australia, USA, UK have already started Adult Education and they have been getting its positive feedback. Our Asian counterparts have also already planned Adult Education and their pace of development has been always ahead than us. Finally, we have no chance to compete with them unless we don’t improve investment or commitment on time.