Is Man Prasad a mad sychophant?

There is a limit to sychophancy. Why Man Prasad is writing on behalf of Suresh Raj? We all know that Suresh Raj can pen articles very well. He is quite capable of urging people to consider him as a "saint." Prof. Surendra K.C. of TU even "congratulated" Suresh Raj for this. But, you see, Man Prasad is hyperactive now defending Suresh Raj and his nepotistic-corrupt regime in KU. He thinks that KU should be given full autonomy without governmental intervention. This means Suresh Raj wants to kill many other staffs and destroy the lives of many other faculties. Please have a look at the article of the sychophant. And, of course, find letters tom-toming his thesis. 

Higher education : Prachanda’s perspective and realities
Mana Prasad Wagley

The vision of the head of the government plays the most significant role in the development of the education sector. Prime Minister Prachanda, for the first time, has expressed his views about the need to bring reformation in the education sector. He opened up his ideas not in front of his cadres but at a gathering of eminent academicians, prominent political leaders, representatives of the international community and the media.

During the 14th Convocation of Kathmandu University, where former president of India Dr. Abdul Kalam and the president of Mahidol University Thailand presided as chief guests, PM Prachanda appraised Thailand’s educational reforms and added that it should inspire KU in transforming itself as an institution of values and competency not only at the national but also at the regional and multi-regional level. He also valued the message given by Abdul Kalam and praised him for being “the source of inspiration for developing university education with value and wisdom”. If Prachanda is really impressed by the message and is committed to the value and wisdom of university education we can hope that he would be the first to contribute to the noble cause of improving the quality of higher education in Nepal.

Unfortunately, the sister organisation of his own party, ANNFSU (R), demanding representation in the University senate has been obstructing it from holding the meeting. Can the Prime Minister control such undesirable activities that have ‘de-systematised’ the entire educational system? Can he take the progressive step of depoliticising Nepali higher education by promoting value and wisdom more than anything else? Notably, the Prime Minister also praised the chief guests for their guidance in striving to achieve multi-dimensional effectiveness of educational governance with cultural, managerial and professional transformation. The prime minister deserves appreciation for expressing his commitment to the much-needed educational reforms.

The only concern is whether he will have enough time to reflect on his commitments. He outlined the need for universities “to emphasise that it is much an institution that builds on wisdom, and explores and experiments with knowledge.”

In addition, the PM also elaborated on “knowledge economy” and the significant role a university plays in bringing about social transformation.

This is not possible as long as the practice of appointing political cadres as university heads continues. Appointments at Tribhuvan University, PU, PoU, NSU, BPKIHS, NAMS and LBU are made on much the same lines. How can we ever imagine inculcating values and wisdom in our educational system as long as such practices take precedence over merit?

He has also said that educational institutions should not be commercially motivated. However, Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai has encouraged commercialisation of schools by levying a tax of 5 per cent. One wonders whether the Prime Minister and the finance minister, who coincidentally belong to the same party, do not belong to the same school of thought. The Prime Minister, however, extolled Kathmandu University for setting a high benchmark of the quality of higher education in Nepal.

Definitely, if Prachanda, who is also the Chancellor of other universities in the country, keeps his commitments on improving the quality of education, we can expect our educational establishments to undergo massive transformation.

For this, the government needs to understand the key to KU’s enviable success. The value system of the university has been the biggest contributing factor in this regard. The government itself should support the version of the Prime Minister and help KU and other universities focus on quality education. For this, all universities, including KU, should be given full autonomy and kept away from unnecessary interventions (including party politics) from outside. The Prime Minister has also judged KU’s role in areas of research, which is guided by its visionary professional team.

Urging other institutions to follow in the footsteps of KU, the Prime Minister said, “the institution has been moving forward with the cultivation of culture of decency, service orientation, self-esteem, value-based education and the culture of competition”. The support that KU has received should also be extended to other universities, so that they do not serve merely as the breeding ground of politics.

Judging by the tenor of Prime Minister’s seriousness, the PM expects universities to focus on education more than anything else. However, the maximum politicisation in academic institutes will not let PM’s dreams come true. So the academia, civil society and the media should all come together to persuade the government and political parties to commit to a common education policy.

Dr Wagley is associated with KU

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Letters
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KU brand of elitist politics
December 09, 2008, The Himalayan Times

Apropos of the edit page article “Higher education: Prachanda’s perspective and realities” (THT, Dec 8), I take exception to writer Dr Mana Prasad Wagley nit-picking the Maoist policy towards higher education in Nepal and, in particular, to private leadership for “international quality” education at Kathmandu University.

Central to his argument is his thesis that inclusion of “politics” such as the demand for the Maoist supported students’ representation in Kathmandu University (KU) Senate is counterproductive to the politics-less value system that has led to KU’s enviable success. But, Professor Wagley in saying so is actually advocating a brand of elitist politics, where decisions are made by the elite and self-professed ‘visionary’ leaders such as the KU Vice Chancellor (VC), the writer himself who is the dean, PM Prachanda and Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai. Granted this was the only option when educated and politically conscious citizenry, including students, were negligible in number. But the current Maoist revolution is a gesture towards large-scale participation of the Nepali people, who can assert new ways of doing things.

If the current leadership can take credit for the great success of KU, can’t Nepal expect even better leadership with greater participation rather than the elitist, “we know what is best” brand of politics advocated by Professor Wagley? If even USA limits leadership of its President to two terms, or eight years, why should KU be subjected to 17 years under the leadership of the same VC? KU and the system that has been put in place, if really effective, will not only survive but thrive under new leadership and encourage wider participation rather than the narrow elitist politics.

Yelambur, via e-mail

Cover-up attempt

December 12, 2008, The Himalayan Times

This is in reference to the edit page article, “Higher Education: Prachanda’s perspective and realities” (THT, Dec. 8). Though most of the time I admire Dr Mana Prasad Wagley’s write-ups, but his high praise of the management of Kathmandu University (KU) is cosmetic. In the bad name of politics and its intervention, and in the good name of former Indian president Dr. Abdul Kalam and his views, the author has tried to cover up mismanagement and irregularities rampant within KU administration. Moreover, it is difficult to understand which values the writer implies the KU education to be upholding. The values like truth, transparency, equality, rule of law, justice and personnel replacement, which the society cherishes, are miles away from KU. Prachanda extolled KU’s success story but, unlike normal practice, refrained from glorifying KU administration under its present vice-chancellor and his coterie. He knows that KU survives because of the people working at the ground level, e.g. in the classrooms. Likewise, the message from Dr. Kalam is there to absorb and assimilate within oneself first.

Dr. Bibhuti Ranjan Jha, Kathmandu University