By Narayan Prasad Mishra
Education is a multifaceted process that involves the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, and beliefs. Education occurs through various formal and informal means, including schools, universities, vocational training programs, and life experiences. It covers not only academic subjects such as economics, political science, history, geography, literature, mathematics, and science but also social and emotional learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical reasoning. Beyond imparting factual information, education empowers individuals to communicate effectively, cooperate with others, and adapt to changing circumstances.
It is a worldwide belief that education should not be influenced or interfered with by any quarter. It should be independent and pure. When politics infiltrates education, detrimental effects occur on its curriculum, appointments, funding, administrative decisions, examinations, and overall quality. Even faculty appointments may be influenced by political agendas rather than educational merit, leading to discrimination in admissions and recruitment for administrative positions. Political interference can also distort historical facts and scientific truths, compromising the integrity of educational institutions. Therefore, it is imperative to resist undue political interference and uphold the principles of academic autonomy, intellectual freedom, and educational equity.
However, we have been experiencing political interference in our educational institutions for more than three decades. Our political parties have made our educational institutions like their political platform to produce their followers rather than learning centers. Teachers, professors, students, and even administrative staff in schools and university campuses are divided into political parties by forming different associations and organizations based on party ideology. They are manipulated like puppets by their political party. They stand when their political party asks and sit silently when instructed. Their voices seem more for political issues, neglect educational issues, and create unwanted problems for study, teaching, and research. They very often discriminate against each other based on their political ideology. Even the chiefs of organizations and prime positions are appointed based on their parties.
In this situation, the most disturbing fact is how pure professionals are treated as untouchables or outcasts, disregarding their crucial role as the backbone of institutions due to their dedication to institutional development. I am fully aware of this, as I experienced it firsthand at Tribhuvan University during Kedar Bhakta Mathema’s vice-chancellorship, where my beloved wife, Shanti Mishra, and I devoted ourselves to the institution’s cause, even at the cost of losing our jobs.
In this context, what is most disturbing and shocking to me is the appointment of Sudarshan Risal, brother of Nepali Congress Leader Basu Risal, to the position of Registrar during this period. Mr. Risal held the position of Deputy Registrar under contract. Due to his lack of administrative experience, he was ineligible to participate in the open competition for deputy registrar, a position I secured by being the top candidate among dozens, including government officials. However, with the introduction of multiparty democracy, he ascended to the role of my boss as the Registrar, supported by the Nepali Congress Party.
Our joint letter
Meanwhile, we lost our jobs without any fault. That was our democracy. That was the judgment of our democrats. To them, I was not seen as a democrat who consistently fought for good governance, justice, and equality without compromising with anyone, whether low or high, even when we had the Partyless Panchayat System, which the multiparty lovers used to call despotic. It’s widely recognized that such injustices undermine meritocracy and erode trust in institutions.
When we were asked to leave the university under the guise of self-retirement, my wife, late Shanti Mishra, the creator of the University Library, and I, the Chief of the Office of the University Service Commission, wrote a joint letter to the then Vice-chancellor on July 29, 1992 (2049 Shrawan 14), expressing our unwillingness to depart from the institution because of our love for the university and our belief in the necessity of our continued service. We cherished the university and its library like our own children. We asked him what course of action he would take if we did not comply. In response, we received a reply dated August 7, 1992 (B.S. 2049 Shrawan 23) from his office, on his behalf, and under his guidance, indicating that they were not willing to allow our service to continue. Both of these historical letters, written in Nepali 32 years ago, are provided here. I hope these letters will be helpful for future authors who wish to document the history of the politicization of education in Nepal.
With heavy hearts, we resigned from the institution we had served and loved at the age of 49 in 1992 (B.S. 2049). It was disheartening to learn from his letter that we were not welcomed there. As an independent citizen of the country, I always see the ugly face of disfigured democracy in this process. I always see the ugly face of the politicization of educational institutions in it. I always see the visible example of nepotism and favoritism in it. I always feel the unbearable pain of injustices in it. I always see autocracy disguised as democracy. I hope I am not wrong in my feelings.
I have written more than half a dozen articles for the depoliticization of education in the country based on my knowledge and bitter experience within a year in People’s Review. I am glad to see the former vice-chancellor, Mathema, emerge as a leading advocate against the politicization of educational institutions in recent times. I appreciate him for it. I want to congratulate him on this. He is very gentle, friendly, and loved by many people. I have known him since his student life at Tribhuvan University in 1965, when I was in the library service, and consider him a friend. I remember he was one of the few best library users and library lovers.
I vividly remember the day we walked together to his residence, crossing the suspension bridge at Pachali, Teku when he wanted me to see his house. It was like a pleasant village in the suburbs, and I truly enjoyed the visit. I also still remember two beautiful letters I gave him to read, thinking that it would be interesting for him to read as a student of English literature. Those letters were written to me by my very close and dear friend, who committed suicide. He may remember those things and may have those letters. I am in my 80’s now. Despite being as old as I am, he is active and dynamic.
He is honorable and respected due to his numerous significant appointments and assignments, including vice-chancellor, ambassador, chairman, and member of various high-level committees. He has easy access to our high dignitaries – prime ministers or ex-prime ministers who value his advice and opinion. I believe he can contribute significantly to the rectification of the politicizing of educational institutions by leveraging his extensive network, political party, power, popularity, reputation, and influence in this country. I hope that his words and deeds will walk together.
The vice-chancellor’s reply
According to our current honorable Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, Mathema congratulated him for appointing the current authorities of Tribhuvan University—Vice-Chancellor, Rector, and Registrar—from a non-political circle, devoid of political ideology. Even the incumbent Prime Minister valued Mathema’s congratulations. This underscores a significant understanding, trust, and cordial relationship between the communists and democrats.
I firmly believe that professional positions should be reserved for qualified and experienced professionals. Politicians should openly pursue political roles. Attempting to disguise political affiliations while holding professional positions is unethical and constitutes a betrayal of the institution. It is also an act of dishonesty. If someone wishes to participate in party activities, they can openly join the party and engage in political work there, but they should not hold positions as employees within educational institutions. But in our country, it is just the opposite. Politicians also occupy professional jobs, and they send professionals out of the organizations. How sad it is!
Employees of educational institutions—professors, teachers, administrative staff, or technicians—must uphold professionalism and refrain from affiliating with any political party as members or followers, especially if they value honesty and ethics in life. This principle should also apply to higher positions in educational institutions, including vice-chancellors, rectors, registrars, deans, directors, principals, and campus chiefs. It’s essential to prevent the politicization of educational institutions, a truth that all political parties must realize.
However, it’s widely acknowledged that politics in education is as prevalent as garbage in our rivers; it’s apparent to all of us. Since the introduction of the multiparty parliamentary system after the movement of the 1990s, vice-chancellors, rectors, and registrars have been appointed based on their affiliations with political parties, with power-sharing among prominent political parties such as Democrats, Maoists, Communists, etc. Individuals often secure these positions through close connections and party affiliations, even though they may be reluctant to admit it and prefer to be called academicians, not politicians, which they do not deserve.
So, our education is polluted because of politics, and our rivers are polluted because of garbage being dumped on them. We must be able to remove the political garbage from our education if we aspire to provide quality education equal to that of other developed countries. We know they have a slogan – no politics in education in theory and practice- and they create an excellent educational environment in educational institutions.
Education Minister Sumana Shrestha, the leader of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party, spoke about the necessity of depoliticizing educational institutions. I am so glad to hear and know that she is determined to eradicate the politicization of educational institutions in this country and create pure educational institutions for the development of quality education in this land. That is a matter of happiness for all education lovers. She seems to be fully acquainted with our education-related laws and problems and knows how to rectify the mistakes that exist in the educational field. Besides, she seems very knowledgeable, dynamic, courageous, and devoted to her mission. In short, she seems to be an Iron Lady who will fulfill her holy aim and wishes without compromising with anyone. I wholeheartedly admire and appreciate her. I am confident that she will achieve her objectives.
According to the news published in Ratopati on April 21, 2024, there are approximately 420,000 teachers in government schools. Dozens of teacher associations are affiliated with political parties, with three prime ones being the Nepal Teacher’s Association (Nepal Bidhyarthy Sangh), linked with the Nepali Congress; Nepal National Teachers Organization (Nepal Rashtriya Shikchyak Sangathan), linked with the Nepal Communist Party (UML); and United All Nepal Teacher’s Association (Yekikrit Akhil Nepal Shikshyak Sangh), linked with the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist). Most of the teachers, out of the 420,000, are members of political parties. In response to complaints and court verdicts, the government office, under the decision and guidance of Education Minister Sumana Shrestha, has instructed all Chief District Officers to investigate and take action to remove teachers who are members of political parties. She deserves appreciation from all quarters for this initiative. All nationalist forces should support her.
It’s disheartening to hear illogical criticisms from her detractors, who have contributed to polluting educational institutions, turning them into symbolic polluted rivers. They argue that forming student, teacher, professor, or administrative staff associations is their democratic right, which is true. However, this does not justify the formation of political associations within a professional domain. Just as we refrain from forming political associations within our families or professional communities, we should not seek to politicize and undermine them with political agendas. This does not mean that the employees of educational institutions can be members or activists of the political party. Politics should be done outside of educational institutions and offices, as it should not be done in police or army service. I hope that sooner or later, her critics will recognize the value of her mission for the welfare of the people and collaborate with her. I wish her every success in removing the political garbage from our education system and restoring its integrity. We need more Sumanas for our education.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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