Rote learning will not develop nation: Former PM Bhattarai

BANEPA: Chairman of Socialist Party Nepal and former prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said rote learning would not help develop the society and country.
In his address to a programme on ‘importance of education in Federal Nepal’ organised by the Panauti-based Siddhartha Banasthali Institute in Kavrepalanchowk, the former prime minister described education as the way of understanding the world and means of transforming the society, adding that rote learning would never lead us to progress. “Education is vital for development and the education capable of opening up people’s conscience and cultivating it further is the need of the hour,” he underscored.
According to him, educational institutes remain as temples in the modern society and teachers are the priests. As he said only receiving the academic degrees would not bring substantive change in the society. He sought the efforts by local levels to change the existing traditional system in the country. The United States of America and other developed countries adopted the education system as the means of development.
The graduate of engineering highlighted the need of practical education which as he said should be imparted by incorporating the essence of cultural norms and values.
Kathmandu University vice chancellor Dr Ramkantha Makaju Shrestha said teachers deserve respects as they empower students through the means of education. The culture of respect toward teachers should be further promoted, he asserted.
Panauti municipality mayor Bheem Neupane said the local government was committed to ensuring quality education at schools inside the town and efforts towards quality enhancement of such schools were underway.
School proprietor Rameshwor Thapa said significant change in education had been experienced and the school was ready to assimilate the change.
On the occasion, 11 smart television sets provided by school management committee vice chair Rajan Manandhar were distributed to six community schools inside the town and the school itself.