A Grade 8 Social Studies textbook has nothing on the one system that has defined and shaped our society and is responsible for, directly or indirectly, many -- if not most or even ALL -- of the social, economic, and political problems our country faces, hindering its progress: the caste system! And the reason? It's a "small" issue!
Lack of basic science literacy and the desire and tendency to copy western cultural practice has lead to, in Nepal, adoption of some questionable practices. This particular one is the celebration of birthdays but with Roman candles on the cake and use of foam spray even in the presence of naked flame! Why are they an issue? Roman candles contain toxic chemicals and canister sprays, in the presence of naked flame, is highly highly flammable!
Short history of the way the education system evolved with the introduction of private schools and even a private University from after 1980. Sadly, education was NOT valued as a means to acquire knowledge and skills, but for the paper degrees. Besides, the institutions themselves struggled to provide quality education -- many imparted no more than just the most basic of skills, that of memorization and regurgitation -- as they mostly functioned as for-profit businesses.
Leaving Nepal, I discovered a number of things about myself -- such as my versatile tongue and the exoticness of my facial features -- many of which I probably would not have, had I never left the country. Here are a few of them.
Almost twenty years since I first did a series of episodes on my FM radio program I used to host then, nothing appears to have been done about the MAIN problems plaguing our rivers in Kathmandu valley. Why? Greed, of course!
After a little over a three years since the earthquake struck and caused major damages to the oldest school in the country, Durbar High School, the oldest high school in the country, has been demolished. It's being reconstructed with help from the Chinese government.
November 8, 2012: it had just been two days since the re-election of President Obama in the US. That day, I shared, on Facebook, how who is in the White House doesn't make a real difference to the US and the world. I argued that regardless of who is in that House in Washington DC, because the systems in place are completely rigged and those who control, run, and enforce them are corrupt, a significant percentage of the American and world population will continue to suffer.
Here's a reproduction of that Facebook post and the interesting discussion I had underneath it with friends, interesting especially now since the election of Trump to the same office!
Something I have been curious to learn more about for a while: Why are Nepalis so defensive when it comes to comments about, or criticisms of, their beliefs or cultural practices? And why is one of the objections always, "You can't view it through Western lenses"? Here's an example of one such instance which got me scratching my head...again.
These extracts from Unleashing Nepal describe how, through education, the Rana Regime and the Shah autocrats furthered their ethnic and nationalistic agenda, enabling the social, political, and economic advancement of the hill so-called high caste Hindus (Khas Aryas) while oppressing -- and hindering the advancement of -- the others.
At a session last month with a little over four dozen parents from twenty-five schools, I shared three things they can do to fill the gap with their children's education in Nepal. Reproduced in the blog post are details of those three things and other important bits from that session.