Nepal Private Schools with Western Names Under Attack Slug: Nepal school names Reporter: Sunil Neupane

Date: 14/08/2012 INTRO In Nepal, chil ren can go to high school at the !l"ert #instein !ca em$% &arents can also sen their chil ren to the 'i(erpool )igh School or the N!S! Insititute% *ost o+ the pri(ate schools in Nepal ha(e ,estern names% -ut the no. the go(ernment .ants to change it% The$ ha(e issue a "an on ,estern names sa$ing Nepalese culture is un er attac/% -ut as Sunil Neupane reports, this is not 0ust a"out nationalism% T#1T Nepal2s e ucation s$stem relies hea(il$ on +oreign ai % !roun 230 pri(ate schools in 4athman u ha(e ,estern names as a .a$ to attract "oth stu ents an +un ing% The$ +ollo. or a opt international curriculums an charge e5pensi(e +ees% !n their names are ta/en +rom historical +igures li/e 6#instein2, places li/e 67lori a2 or 0ust an$ #nglish .or s li/e 6)igh.a$ 8ar en2% -ut +action o+ the ruling Nepalese communist part$ oesn2t li/e it% !n the stu ent .ing o+ the part$ has ta/en irect action to shut the schools o.n% S71 1 Soun o+ press meet up an un er In a press con+erence in 4athman u, the group coor inator Shara Rasa$eli announces that the$ ha(e shut9 o.n 40 schools .ho ha +oreign names% The$ smashe the schools2 +urniture an tol stu ents to sta$ at home% S)!R!D :'I& 1 ;*!'#, N#&!'I<: =School name re+lects nationalit$% !n there are so man$ colleges in our countr$ that use name o+ +oreign cities or popular +oot"all clu"% There2s 'i(erpool :ollege .hich uses the same logo as the 'i(erpool +oot"all clu" +rom the >4% :ollege o.ners are tr$ing to get more mone$ +rom parents "$ selling +oreign school names, an this is .hat .e o"0ect%?

The stu ent union insists their protests ha(e "een peace+ul% -ut the authorities sa$ the$ ha(e (an alise colleges, estro$e school +acilities an e(en torche a school "us% The stu ent union also attac/e Rato -angala School, .hich oesn2t ha(e a +oreign name% !n not all +oreign9name schools ha(e "een attac/e % # ucation 0ournalist +rom 4antipur Dail$ !namolmani &ou el sa$s, it2s not 0ust a"out nationalism% !N!*O' :'I& 1 ;*!'#, N#&!'I<: =There2s a political reason "ehin it% Recentl$ the largest part$, *aoist, has split an one o+ the +ractions +orme a ne. ra ical political part$% The$ .ill ha(e their +irst general con(ention .ithin the ne5t +e. months% The$ as/e +or onations +rom pri(ate schools% The ones .ho re+use to pa$ "ecame target%? #arlier this month the *inistr$ o+ # ucation has "anne pri(ate schools +rom using ,estern names% Dr% Rosenath &an e$ is the eput$ spo/esperson o+ the *inistr$ o+ # ucation% RO@N!T) :'I& 1 ;*!'#, N#&!'I< =Aou can +in names li/e &entagon, ,hite 7iel , an man$ more here, an this shoul change% ,e ha(e an # ucation !ct that clearl$ sa$s that school names shoul re+lect Nepali culture% -ut it2s (iolate "$ pri(ate schools% Some colleges are using #nglish names to attract stu ents a+ter seeing the names% ,e must ma/e a clear regulation% ,e eman schools to change their names .ithout as/ing +or an$ mone$%? -ut pri(ate schools are not rea $% !ccor ing to the )igher Secon er$ School !ssociation, the ma0orit$ o+ the B30 pri(ate schools in Nepal use ,estern names% Au.ara0 Sharma is the !ssociation2s (ice chairman% A>,!R!@ :'I& 1 ;*!'#, #N8'IS)<: =It2s not a goo polic$ "ecause our school names are our "ran s% ,e ha(e pro(i e (arious aca emic programs +or so man$ $ears% No"o $ e5pect the names to change% ,e ha(e "een stan ing +or one or t.o eca es an .e ha(e tens o+ thousan s o+ stu ent .ho ha(e passe +rom our schools% The$ alrea $ got their certi+icates +rom the colleges% ,h$ shoul .e change the nameC? -ut e ucation e5pert Dr% -i h$anath 4oirala sa$s it2s 0ust a small technical pro"lem% -ID)A!N!T) :'I& 1 ;*!'#, #N8'IS)<: =Schools can create ne. certi+icate% The$ can .rite on it that 6this .as the original name, "ut no. .e change it2% That2s eas$, it shoul n2t "e a pro"lem% There are e(i ences +rom aroun the .orl % Some uni(ersities merge , or trans+ere , an the$ change names% It2s not that i++icult%?

-ut Di/sh$a -asne +rom ,hite 8ol :ollege oesn2t .ant his school to change its name% DI4S)A! :'I& 1 ;7#*!'#, N#&!'I<: =No, it2s not goo to change the school name% ,e learn #nglish at school, so .h$ can2t .e use #nglish name +or our schoolC Nepalese names +or schools are not goo % 'et2s sa$ I stu $ here at the ,hite 8ol :ollege% !n .hen it2s translate to Nepalese, this .ill not soun an$ goo % N!S! school .ill "e translate as =(ein? .hile 'i(erpool as =re pool? in Nepalese% &lease on2t +orce our school to change its name%? 1D9$ear ol &rati/ Dha/al stu ies at the &rasa i !ca em$% )e sa$s .hat2s more important is the Eualit$ o+ the e ucation% &R!TI4 :'I& 1 ;*!'#, #N8'IS)< =I+ schools on2t o++er goo Eualit$, .h$ o the$ use +oriegn namesC -ut i+ the$ promises goo e ucation, the$ can /eep the name% I stu $ at &rasa i, .hich means 6gi+t o+ 8o 2 in Nepalese, an it o++ers goo e ucation +or me%? &ri(ate schools .ith +oreign names are or ere to change their names .ithin the ne5t si5 months% -ut the )igher Secon ar$ School !ssociation is prepare to +ight% Au.ara0 Sharma is a mem"er o+ the association an the o.ner o+ the ,hite )ouse :ollege% A>,!R!@ :'I& 2 ;*!'#, #N8'IS)<: =Our !ssociation has not "rought an$ o++icial conclusion% ,e2re ha(ing series o+ meetings to iscuss this matter% -ut to us, the go(ernment shoul gi(e us compensation to change the school names F it2s our "ran an .e ha(e put huge in(estment o(er the perio o+ time% The 8o(ernment has to +ace legal issues a"out this%? 7or !sia :alling IGm Sunil Neupane +rom 4athman u%