Chandra Kanta Poudel
Chandra Kanta Poudel, Program Director at Regional College of Health Science & Technology, Pokhara is a person with multiple talents and vigor. The college offers Medical Lab Technology (OMLT), Radiography, affiliated to CTEVT and B.Tec. Food Technology and M.Sc. Medical Microbiology, affiliated to TU. Mr. Poudel is also a lecturer at PN Campus. Excerpts:
What factor inspired you to embark on establishing a technical education institution?
I was inspired by my seniors and my own deep desire to be an entrepreneur. In fact, time and situation bestowed on me all these things. I wanted to serve the nation by being an educationist. We envisaged the urgent need of technical education in the context of Nepal, particularly in my area. This is also equally important inspiring factor for me to disseminate technical education through an institution.
In your opinion, what is the significance of technical education in the present context of Nepal?
In my view, the main objective of education acquisition is to make life easier, more comfortable and happier. Sound economic condition is the key factor to make people happy. In fact, certificate is not the real education; the real education is the skill, efficiency and confidence that an individual has earned. As a matter of fact, technical education makes people self-dependent, globally competitive, confident and demandable. In addition, technical human resources have huge demand inside and outside the country. They easily get job opportunities for their life-changing career. So, technical education has its own significance in the present context of Nepal.
The government has given priority to technical education in the recent days; however, it has not endorsed any affiliation to private educational institutions for technical education. What do you say in this regard?
Providing education to its citizens is the duty of the government. But in the present context of Nepal, the government does not seem to be responsible for successful impartation of qualitative education to its citizens. In this context, private education institutions have emerged to fulfill the requisites of the nation. The technical education institutions run by the government have not flourished and run well; however, if the government provides affiliation of technical education to private education institutions, we are ready to run it effectively. In addition, if the government provides funds to private educational institutions even half of the budget that it spends for general education in its funded institutions, private institutions are ready to impart technical education with this amount. We have efficient management and clear vision but the government does not trust us.
The government has made the provision of upgrading the condition of health institutions by amending the act. What is your view regarding this issue? What actual problem have you seen so far?
I am not well-known about the law of the government. However, private educational institutions should be protected and promoted by the government.
There is backlash that private-funded medical institutions are imposing huge amount of fee. What are your plans to minimize the problems as a responsible person of Forum of Human Technical Science?
Forum of Human Technical Science aims to bring uniformity in the fee structure of all technical colleges. For the question, ‘who is responsible for maintaining uniformity in fee structure?’ I would say it’s the government, the particular college, the promoters and stakeholders who are equally responsible for failing to set a uniform fee structure across the country. Similarly, CTEVT should play a significant role in bringing uniformity in all kinds of expenses borne by each student.
To what extent, Regional College of Health, Science and Technology is different from other colleges?
The most significant thing about this college is that all our promoters are impeccably prodigious in their vocations. All the founders are directly involved in the college activities. Importantly, we give focus on practical education rather than customary pedagogies. Therefore, the college has been successful in disseminating over 80% pass results annually.
What have you done for quality enhancement in your college?
We focus on practical education rather than time-consuming theory-based courses. Similarly, we have established a Job Placement Unit and conduct counseling sessions for suitable jobs for suitable graduates. Due to our genuinely candid counseling, our graduates have learned lots of strategies to compete successfully in the global market. In addition, around 15-20% our graduates have secured governmental posts.
Could you share with us your plans about upgrading this institution? In which position can we find your college in the next five years?
One of our plans adheres to showing increased results by 90-100%. Similarly, we will make our human resources well-equipped, more devoted and strong enough to impart quality education for satisfying the need of the nation. We will upgrade the condition of physical infrastructures and operate some attractive programs such as lab technician, radiography etc. within the next five years.
