Reforming Education: The Urgent Need for a Student-Centric System to Address Nepal's Brain Drain | Milan Pandey | Sarthak Shikshya

In this episode of Sarthak Shikshya, host Narayan Acharya engages in a discussion with Milan Pandey, an educational activist and civil engineer with a background in educational leadership. The conversation delves into the current state of education in Nepal and the resulting frustrations among the youth. Pandey expresses concern that the system, despite significant time and financial investment, often yields minimal practical results, leading to a sense of disillusionment and a feeling of being directionless among students. He highlights a critical disconnect between the educational content being delivered and the real-world demands for skills and knowledge.

Pandey shares personal experiences to illustrate the systemic flaws, recounting how he was guided into studying science based on good grades rather than his genuine interest in business, reflecting a broader issue of career path misalignment. He argues that this lack of relevant guidance contributes directly to the alarming trend of brain drain, where more than 50% of students choose to go abroad in search of better economic opportunities. He states that domestic degrees often do not lead to dignified, high-paying jobs in Nepal, making international opportunities seem more appealing for long-term security.

As solutions, Milan Pandey emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive curriculum reform to introduce contemporary subjects like AI and IT. He advocates for fostering an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation, suggesting that this is vital for creating local job opportunities and encouraging Nepalis to remain in the country. He also strongly criticizes the politicization within universities, asserting that educational institutions should function as non-partisan think tanks and be restructured to prioritize student needs over political affiliations.