Technical education should be accessible to learners of all sectors

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jiban Bhandari photo
jiban Bhandari

Jiban Bhandari

Pokhara Technical School, a CTEVT constituent school, was established in 2053 BS with the aim to produce trained and skilled human resources for the fast growing tourism market of Nepal. It has been operating short-term skill development and vocational training on hospitality management. Academically, the school is running Diploma in Hotel Management, PCL in Ophthalmic Science (in partnership of Himalaya Eye Hospital) and 18 months’ TSLC Program in Culinary Arts.

Jiban Bhandari, the Principal at Pokhara Technical School, says tourism is the main income source of the country. Acknowledging the shortage of skilled human resources, the school offers short-term vocational training on tourism ranging from one week to one year. It also operates own restaurant and hotels to provide real experience to the students during their study and training. Excerpts:

The Government has kept technical and vocational education in priority. Why has PTS given priority to only tourism education and training?

Its main aim of establishment of the institution was to prepare skilled human resources required for tourism sector in Nepal. In addition, we conduct a series of skill-oriented training, such as beautician, tailoring, electrician and so on as the demand of market in collaboration with various organizations.  

What changes have you witnessed regarding training given to students after the completion of vocational and technical education qualifications?

Vocational and technical education is life-enhancing education. It imparts knowledge with skills and makes individuals self-confident, skillful and self-employed. So, we can witness a drastic change in their life before and after getting training or education. All our products have involved in any occupation or job landing sectors after graduating from this institution.

In your experience, what things should be improved by CTEVT for its better performance?

The contributions of CTEVT are related to producing skilled and technical human resources required for the country. However, it should make some reformation as the change of time and situation in order to meet the demand of the global market. The CTEVT should adopt modern technologies and advanced teaching methodology to produce human resources that will be employed in the global market. For this, CTEVT should update its curricula and improve its examination system as required in the course of time.

PST provides vocational training at free of cost. How is the fee structure of academic courses?

It provides 10% of scholarships for TSLC and diploma programs. Its course requires NPR 40000.00 as full course fee for eighteen months. About 10% of total enrollees get full scholarship and 90% of them get subsidies. So, they have to pay only NPR. 25000.00 in stead of NPR 40000.00 of total fee. Similarly, the total fee of HM in diploma is NPR. 151000.00, but after calculating the subsidies they have to pay only NPR. 84000.00 for the three-year complete course. In this regard, students are provided quality education at low fee structure. We have prepared criteria for providing scholarship as provided by existing law. So, it is transparent and justifiable.

Although PST has made significant contributions to the field of technical and vocational education, it has not reached up to the access of all sects of groups. What should be done to make this education accessible to multi-ethnic groups, particularly to marginalized groups and to students from remote areas?

There are around 45 constituent colleges and 600 private institutions working for providing access of technical and vocational education to needy people. They have been providing 10% scholarship to needy students. However, some students, who are privileged to get scholarship for their study, are not able to maintain their daily expenses of lodging and fooding during their study time. So, it is inevitable to provide hostel and other facilities to create attraction and increase access of technical and vocational education to a large number of students. Similarly, the institute should work for linking the trainees with employers or entrepreneurship after getting the short-term training and education.

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