TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY, CENTRAL DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

ELT Seminar and Report

Writing
A Study on The Professional Beliefs and Challenges
of Teachers : Voices From The Borderland

Submitted By:
Satya Narayan Yadav
Padam Bdr. Basnet
Pawan Kumar Mandal

This seminar paper has been prepared for the partial fulfillment of fourth semester English
Language Education course. It is oriented towards examining the challenges of teachers and the
challenges of their professional development in the borderland schools of Nepal.
 Introduction

Abstract
This seminar paper has been prepared for the partial fulfillment of the course ELT
seminar and report writing (548). The main purpose of this study is to explore the
practices of teacher’s professional development along with the challenges faced by them.
It is a narrative inquiry on teacher’s experience of challenges in their professional
career. TPD has been one of the prominent phenomenon in which a numbers of
researches are carried out each year. It is based on narrative design of research study
which contains the life experience of two teachers teaching in the borderland.
Participants of this study were selected purposefully. We preferred to include the
teachers who had long experience of teaching. Data was gathered from two teachers; one
from Biratnagar and another from Kapilvastu. This research is centered in studying the
life experience of teachers in the borderland schools. The data from audio record was
transcribed first and then we studied their stories in depth. In this research we have
found that borderland teachers are facing many challenges in terms of linguistic,
cultural, parent’s awareness and other diversity. Despite these challenges borderland
teachers are found satisfied with their profession. Borderland teachers are getting very
less opportunity for their professional development and making self initiation for their
professional development. Finally it is concluded that the role of government seems to be
more inevitable for enhancing the competency as well as professionalism of borderland
teachers.

Background of the Study

Teacher professional development is one of the contemporary educational issues.
Government is forming and implementing different policies but these are not being
highly fruitful. The main region of this failure is lacking the ample researches in different
locality of Nepal. Due to lack of professional knowledge teachers are not being very well
enough to attain the desired outcomes. In the context of Nepal it has been more
challenging to address the issue of different sorts of diversity. This research has focused
upon teacher’s experience of teaching in Indian border side schools. These are all rural
and very backward sites of Nepal where the quality of education is very low. As cited in
Education for social justice (W. Michael- 2014) in order to enhance the quality of
education it is necessary first to improving both the quality of pupil learning and teacher
competency / performance (UNESCO, 2011; UNESCO/UNPFN, 2013). Many researches
are centered in the easily accessible sites and the areas which are still more backward are
neglected. Many researches, has shown that the quality of education in Terai specifically
in southern part are more backward. Despite government’s different plans rural and
borderland school are being less productive. People primarily blame teachers for this
failure. The natural reaction is to blame the teaching in the schools, the methods used,
and the public-spiritedness of the teachers (Griffiths 1968). So, in this research we have
tried to explore the reasons this backwardness from the perspectives of TPD. It can be
assumed that if policies are developed in accordance to gross root reality then these
challenges will obviously minimized. To enhance the quality of education and teacher’s
professional development, local stakeholders can play very significant role. This research
has focused on the bringing out the voices of teachers from the borderland.

Statement of Problem
There are many problems in Nepal regarding the teacher’s professional develop
ment. This research has focused on the life experiences of teachers from the borderland.
Governm ent is implementing many policies and plans as like SSDP, SSRP to promote
the equitable access to education. However, it has focused less upon the professional
development of teachers. Same plan is being implemented around all the part of Nepal.
But, still we can find huge gap in the level of quality education of other northern part of
Terai in comparison to southern or Indian border side schools. It is all because plan that
fits to one region may not be in other. Ample studies are not yet done to study the ground
reality of diversity in Nepal. So, these policies first of all need to concern the ground
reality. In this regard, normally it is argued that the schools in the borderland are
backward in regard of quality education and teacher’s professional development.

Objectives of the study

For the completion of this research on voices of teachers from the borderland, we
developed certain objectives. These objectives are as follows:

a. To explore the life experiences and challenges of teacher’s teaching in the

borderland.
b. To analyze the practices of teacher’s professional development in the borderland.
Significance of the Study
This research has been carried out to explore the challenges of the teacher’s professional
development and their difficulties of teachers in rural, remote and backward areas.
Nepalese teachers in the borderland are found to be struggling for their adjustment in
local community. Although, this research consists of only two teachers from Terai, it can
visualize the challenges of similar backward areas and southern Nepalese borderland. In
this, regard this research can draw some striking issues about the teachers difficulties in
professional development as well as their adjustment in that community. So, this research
is believed to reflect the real picture of the condition teachers in the borderland. It will
also be very helpful to depict the level of awareness of borderland people in regard of
education.

Delimitation of the study

This research has been carried out within some boundaries. Although this research is
centered toward studying the professional beliefs and challenges of teachers in the
borderland, it has not included all the borders areas. This research has included life
experiences of one teacher teaching in the southern borderland of Kapilvastu district and
one teacher from Morang. This research site was selected purposefully. It includes life
experiences of only two highly experienced teachers.

Key terms
Narratives, Borderland, TPD, Madarasa

Review of Related Literature

In this research we have reviewed some of the useful and important literature to
broaden our understanding of the educational and teaching problems in the rural
backward areas. Some of related literatures are as follows:

Cline and Necochea (2004) have carried out a research on “Teacher Dispositions
for Effective Education in the Borderlands”. This research was carried in the scenario of
Mexican and US borderland. Mainly this research was oriented towards border pedagogy.
The study involved 40 teachers (20 from the San Diego area and 20 from Tijuana) from
both public and private schools who attended the Border Pedagogy Bi -literacy Institute.
Data were gathered in several training sessions. This research tended to find out the
characteristics of effective teachers in the borderland. Researchers argued that teacher
dispositions, attitudes, and motivation play important roles in educating students so that
they are highly successful in school. Teachers and students both have to negotiate two
words, two languages and two cultures which is challenging. This research study
employed grounded theory with extant data from Tijuana and San Diego-area teachers
who participated in a border pedagogy training institute, characteristics that are critical to
teacher dispositions which can make significant difference in effectiveness with students
in the borderlands have been identified. The education system of Mexico and USA are so
distinct and disconnected from one another, they me be in separate world. Further they
found that the cultural confluence of the two countries impacts all aspects of life.

Witenstein (2013) has carried out a research on “Inequality of participation in

Nepalese higher education: A critical conceptual model of educational barriers”. The
main objective of this study was to develop a conceptual model for examining the unique
factors contributing to the gendered inequality of post-secondary educational
participation in Nepal. This research study has employed dynamic model of educational
inequality offered by Lynch and O’Riordan as the design and methodology. Further, this
conceptual/theoretical paper aims to apply and potentially critique the authors hope to use
the current model, developed through an exploration of data from a developed country, to
further understanding of the forces maintaining educational inequality in the developing
world. This research has found the stratification in the Nepalese education, girls are left
behind and government policy and planning is not being well succeeded. In developing
countries such as Nepal, a multitude of social and historical factors produces vast
inequalities for access along the educational pipeline prior to tertiary education. It is also
found that parents from privileged classes and even recent middle-class families moved
their children out of the public school system into private schools (Bista, 2004; Carney
and Rappleye, 2011), even though, with no centralized system of school evaluation, the
quality of private schools varies (LeVine, 2006).

Wilson (2014) has carried out a research on “Education for social justice in rural
Nepal”. The main objective of this research paper was to assess the challenges and
potential barriers facing the reform program to promote social justice through improved
educational provision in rural Nepal. Further researcher has focused his discussion on the
role of education and problems relating to the effective implementation of positive
change. These problems and their possible solutions are analyzed within a broad socio-
political context. Researcher has felt the necessity of innovative interdisciplinary and
international research which can inform both educational policy and practice to achieve
desired educational goal and outcomes. The Capabilities Approach is explored as a
conceptual framework for promoting wellbeing and social justice through education,
supported by operational research strategies and techniques based on the principles of
Participatory.

Methodology
Design of the study

This research is based on qualitative approach of research. To carry out this

research we mainly employed the narrative inquiry research design. In this study we
heard the life experience of teachers teaching in the borderland. In this research, teachers
were also asked some of the open ended question to share some of the very striking event
in their teaching career. Teachers shared their lived experience of their own teaching
career.

Participants

In this research participants are two teachers from two distinct areas of borderland
in southern Terai. Mainly, participant teacher are more experienced and spent long period
of their life as a teacher. One of the teachers is currently teaching in a school at
borderland of Kapilvastu and another is teaching in Biratnagar. They have as long as
above 20 years of teaching experiences.

Population and Sampling Procedures

In this research, all the teachers teaching in the schools of borderland were the
population. Purposeful sampling procedure is employed to select the participants of this
study. Participants were selected purposefully in this research. To select the participant
we preferred the teachers who are teaching in the borderland in touch with Indian border.
After that, we considered their experience of teaching and preferred to select the teacher
who has longer teaching experience. Further, we also considered whether that teacher is
teaching in the same school for a long time. We preferred that teacher who earlier taught
in developed area and later transferred in the borderland school.

Tools for Data collection

For the purpose of data collection, we employed the storytelling method of

collecting data. In this research, we also used some open ended questions to draw the
specific information to fulfill the objectives of our study. First of all we met the teachers
and introduced each other. We engaged them into conversation with us. After getting
them ready for storytelling we asked for permission to record their stories.
Data collection

After being well familiar, we asked stated our purpose of meeting them. After all,
these teachers shared their life experience of teaching in different area. Mainly they
highlighted the challenge to survive in the borderland which is relatively more backward
as well as less awareness in the community regarding the importance of education. at the
time of hearing their stories we also recorded their voice with their permission. In this
way data was gathered for our research. One teacher wrote narrative of his teaching
experience himself.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

After recording their stories first of all we transcribed their audio record and
translated it into English language. Translation was done directly from local Awadhi
language into English.In this study, collected data are analyzed inductively. After
gathering data, first of all we transcribed the audio clips and transformed that into
narrative story. And then we read their stories of lived experience as teacher thoroughly.
After, reading coded some very striking statements into some themes. Themes were
codified in terms of their challenges, difficulties, community awareness,
obstacles/politics in education and opportunities for professional development. After
analyzing their stories, coding and building themes we drew some findings and
conclusions.

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

This research seminar paper is oriented towards studying the challenges of
Nepalese teacher who are currently teaching in the borderland schools. Although
participants are the English language teachers, their challenges are common to other
teachers. Challenges may be about their professional development, surviving as a teacher
in remote and backward area or may be about dealing the low level awareness of local
people.

We have analyzed the data in relation to different themes. Under the given theme,
we have analyzed the raw data and linked it to the theme. Some of the themes are
discussed below:

Physical infrastructure and community awareness

The condition of Nepalese schools in borderland is very poor. One poor aspect of
borderland schools is physical infrastructure. One of the teacher reported that “at the
beginning many school had no building and we built some huts with the materials as like
bamboo, straw etc and educated local children”. It was his own experience of when he
just started his teaching career some around 25 yrs ago. But, nowadays schools are
getting grant from government to make buildings and compound walls. Despite
government efforts, many schools have not well facilitated and appropriately sized
classes in the borderland schools. It means that borderland schools are still lacking proper
infrastructure as buildings, toilet, water pump and compound walls. We have also the job
of teacher to teach in that kind of environment is being more and more challenging.

Teachers in the borderland schools are also facing some challenges regarding the
community awareness. One of the teachers mentioned “to teach and convince the parents
to send their education in the school in that remote area was always challenging”. The
community awareness about the importance of education is very low. Many parents think
that it is meaningless to send their children to the schools. Specially, many children are
found in the job good transfer in their childhood. They go to India and buy some goods
and sell it in Nepal. Parents only care that their children are making money since early
childhood. It also shows that in the borderland schools teachers have not only the
responsibility to teach but also convince the parents to send their children to the schools.
It clarifies the dual responsibility of the teachers. It is also a big challenge for borderland
teachers.

Effectiveness of government schemes

As government of Nepal has already introduced some schemes and provisions to

attract parent and students towards school, it is found not so effective as it was expected
to be. Same thing is being practiced in Bihar of India. One of the teachers said “Indian
government has added Khichadi (Diwa Khaja) program in Bihar and students are being
more attracted so Bihar is making good progress in quality education at present”.
Government of Nepal is also implementing the same Diwa Khaja program but the
number of children out of the access to the schools is high and still not being reduced in
good progress. It shows that due to the lack of community awareness, parents in the
borderland community are not quite well motivated to send their children to the schools.
If we look at the student’s presence in the Nepalese borderland schools it is very low and
most of the students are found irregular. It shows that student’s irregularity is also a
problem in the borderland school because it is resulting in lower level of quality
education. Because of the student’s lower performance and lower quality education
teachers are blamed to be passive in their duties and responsibilities.

Teacher’s adjustment in the borderland schools

 Another problem of borderland schools we found related with teacher’s
adjustment in borderland schools. One of the participant teachers shared his opinion
about his frequent transfer. As he mentioned, he was getting transferred to new schools in
the new community and every time it made him struggle and required him to change his
practices. Many teachers find this job very challenging because they need to change their
methods and techniques as the demands and different levels of learners as well as in
accordance with existing practice in the community. The next thing is it becomes more
challenging for those teachers who earlier taught in the northern belt schools. Community
awareness and the respect of teacher are high in northern part of Terai. It shows that the
frequent transfer of the teachers to different schools is also troubling the teachers. When
they go to different school they need to understand the culture of that particular place.
Teacher’s frequent transfer is also a problem it reduces their stability. So, stability may
result good teacher’s performance.

Parental responsibility towards the learning achievement of students

In borderland schools, there is problem not only with the students but also with the
parents. As a teacher reported that “very few conscious parents only come to know about
the learning achievement of their children”. It was related with the parent’s responsibility
to know the progress of their children. Many parents have the thinking that it is the
responsibility of school teachers to care the progress of the students. They often forget
their parental responsibility. It is seemed to be another challenge of the teacher. Teachers
face more difficulties in the borderland schools regarding the enhancement of students
learning because parents are found more inactive. Parents are very forward in blaming
teachers for their children’s lower performance without measuring their own efforts. It
means that teachers are solely blamed for low quality of education which is a big
challenge.

Politics in borderland schools

Politics is found enacted everywhere. In similar way borderland schools are more
backward due to political interference. As one of the teacher mentioned “some parents
come to school when there is the gathering for selection of school management
committee”. And many parents come to the school on the day of scholarship distribution.
It is just n example of politics in the borderland schools. Obviously, politics is enacted
within the schools everywhere but in borderland school it is too much. Many minor
things get politicized in that borderland schools. By sharing an experience he said that
even the school headmaster get transferred if they don’t do the things as the interest of the
so called powerful person in the community. It has been great challenge of the teachers to
deal with this political scenario and at the same time some of the teacher bungs the
classes to be involved in different political events.

Quality of Education and Productivity of Borderland schools

It has been a general assumption that borderland schools are very less productive
in comparison to other schools in northern belt of Terai. When we inquired about their
opinion regarding the productivity of schools, one teacher said “I fully support that
borderland schools are less productive” He mentioned it without hesitation because it
was reality based on his experience. At the same time he believes that if government
supplies ample resources then the quality of education will increase. Further, it is also
general belief that borderland Nepalese schools can’t competitive as other northern belt
schools are.

Teacher’s perception of teaching in borderland and northern belt schools

On the other hand, it is also found that borderland teachers who previously taught
in northern part of the same district, they believe that teaching in the borderland is always
more challenging. As one of the teacher shared his experience saying that:

“In my experience of teaching in this school and the previous Rajpur

Primary school, I found the huge different. I felt very easy to teach in
northern belt of Kapilvastu and more challenging in southern. In northern
part guardians are more aware of their children’s achievement and they
understand everything, they understand the problem and they make their
children ready and send them to the school, Students are more regular in
the school.”

This statement clarifies that the teachers feel more comfortable to teach in the northern
part of this district than in the borderland. Teachers believe that to teach in the borderland
school is like taking extra challenges and facing more criticism by the local community.
Many teachers also struggle due for adjustment because earlier they had taught in
developed region’s school. Same teacher mentioned that earlier he was not aware of
difficulties and challenges to teach in backward community.

Addressing the issue of diversity

In borderland school students come from diverse background. But it becomes

more difficult when students come from two different streams. Same thing happened with
one of the participant teachers. Currently, one of the teachers is teaching in Darum Ulum
Siddhikiya Primary School which is Madarasa (Muslim religion based school) in that
school almost 90% of students are from Muslim community and 10% from Hindu
religious background. In this case Hindu and Muslims are two different streamed
backgrounds because the subject of study varies. It is found as one challenge for the
teachers. The job of teaching becomes more challenging when a teacher belongs to Dalit
ethnic background because in community we find very negative attitudes towards Dalits.
One teacher shared experience shared his own experience by saying “When they (local
community) came to know that I was from Dalit caste, they told that Dalit teachers can’t
serve in Madarasa because it is a religious place, they started to look at me from very
bad perspective”. It means that the job becomes more challenging for a teacher belonging
to a backward or lower caste. People look at them from different perspective. If we talk
about Kapilvastu district in borderland majority is of Muslims.

Cultural norms and Muslim students

Resident is mixed with Hindus. In Muslim community still we can find the lacking
awareness regarding formal education. Muslims read Urdu language and Quran first but
Students from Hindu community focus on the subjects as like Nepali, English, Math,
science, social etc. To address the issues of preferences of subjects of study was another
challenge. Muslim Maulana are not in that region so, school is hiring some Maulanas
from India to teach Urdu and Quran. Muslim students take classes of Urdu and Quran in
the morning 7 am to 10 am. Then, they go back to home and after eating food they come
back to school at 11am. By reflecting the problems of students he questioned “It is very
hard for these students, they are more stressed then how can they pick up learning?”
Further, he said that the condition is improving than earlier. The condition of girls in that
borderland community is very pathetic and cultural rule is very strict. He gave one
example of this incident. “If girls are cycling Muslim community think it against their
religious norms and they hate these girls. They think that t ride cycle in front of Maulana
is violation of cultural rule.” This concept has compelled these Muslim girls to come
down of their cycle little far from the Madarasa and when they cross that area they again
start cycling. It shows that teachers are also facing many difficulties in the borderland due
to strict religious values.

Hindus also suffered the same concept but not it is totally changed in our
community but still this problem is strongly rooted in Muslim community. In Muslim
community too poor families are changed but rich ones are still in favor of keeping girls
behind the curtain. Rich families are more strictly determined on their religious norms. In
that community the discrimination about caste is strongly rooted.

Teacher’s loyalty towards their profession

The reason of low quality education in the borderland is teacher escaping from
their professional responsibilities. In the borderland many teachers even don’t spend
enough and full time rather they get involved some extra things as well. The participant
teacher is also the headmaster of a school. He shared his own problem

at the beginning, teachers were not regular, they were not very honest, more
often they escaped from their duty in my absence. They are involved in the
business of LIC and some others. When I became strict to these teachers some
of the political leaders complained blaming for torturing teachers and other
staffs.

From the above mentioned quote we found that most of the teachers also take part
in outsides activities even in the period of school time. These teachers are under political
protection. It is found that school management committee is also not paying attention to
the teacher’s activities. On the other hand teachers are also not found honest on their
duty.

Teacher’s Professional development

For teacher’s professional development government of Nepal is providing

different trainings as TPD and ICT management trainings. Somewhere same training
brings wonderful changes but at some place it becomes just the formality. In this regard
one of the teachers reported “Sometime many training becomes just formality of
government plan and teachers attend these training to get allowance. So, it is teachers
who have to implement learnt lessons”. It means it is teacher who must be more
responsible for his professional development and to implement the lessons they learnt
from the trainings. It is also found that teachers must initiate for own professional
development. One of the teacher told that borderland schools and teachers are like in the
shadow and they are not getting equal opportunities and facilities like other schools get.
The practice of teachers in the borderland is changing nowadays. As, one of the teachers
said “in these days I was teaching through teacher centered method but now, I am
teaching by using student centered methods”. It means that teachers are also bringing
some change in their practice of teaching. They are shifting their practice from teacher
centered to students centered methods. It means that sometimes teacher training becomes
become just a formality but sometimes it brings positive change in teacher’s classroom
practice. It depends to what extend a teacher implements his learning into behaviors.

In conclusion, we found that the job of teaching in the borderland is more and
more challenging. Borderland is remote area where people have very low level of
awareness. Most of the teacher struggle hard to deal in that community. After looking at
the condition of that community many teachers become pessimist and they just pass their
career as a teacher without paying proper attention to the quality of education.

Findings and Conclusion

Findings

While analyzing this narrative story we find many things about teacher’s
difficulties and challenges to survive as a teacher in borderland. Teachers teaching in the
borderland are also seemed to be neglected by the government. They are getting very less
opportunities for professional development. Some of the major findings of this study are
mentioned as follows:

Teacher’s Challenges in borderland community schools

Under this theme we have found that people’s awareness about the importance of
education is very low in borderland community. Classes are more heterogeneous in terms
of caste, ethnicity and religion which have made the job of teachers more challenging.
Mixture of Hindu and Muslim is a big issue of selecting the subjects to be taught. Politics
in minor issues (SMC election/ Headmasters Selection).People are strongly determined
on their religious and cultural values and norms. We can find discrimination in terms
caste and ethnicity and local community don’t like teaching profession. But the teachers
are seemed to be satisfied with their profession. Similarly, as one teacher mentioned that
we can find government biasness in terms of government and religious school. Still
religious schools are not mainstreamed properly. Furthermore, many parents are found
motivated and attracted towards the private schools. As a result they distrust government
schools and send their children in private schools. On the other hand it is also found that,
when students belong to majority and minority group, minority children get neglected.
Many children are found to be involving in small business to earn money than earning
education. Teachers are also facing different managerial problems in the borderland
schools. Local community people believe that teachers are getting salary without doing
anything and they don’t teach to the student very well.
Teacher’s Challenges regarding quality of education

Teachers are facing many challenges regarding the quality of education in the
borderland schools. The quality of education in these schools is comparatively very low
and teachers are being more responsible for this. Despite the low quality of education
parents are paying less attention to the learning achievement of their children and
students are also being irregular in the school. We have also found that teacher is to some
extend being irresponsible to their duty. Most of the teacher used to escape from their
duty and it hinders the delivery of quality education. Due to many reasons teachers are
struggling with the issue of less productivity of borderland schools. On the other hand,
recently changed practice of implementation of EMI is being more challenging. Teachers
are not enough competent in English so they are facing difficulties in applying EMI in the
class. Not all but some borderland schools are found running as per their own interest
rather than following the government rules. As they are getting more holiday, they even
close the schools on school days. Lack of facilities and resources as well as the poor
infrastructure is another reason of low quality education. From the above mentioned
description we can say that teachers are being made more responsible for low level of
quality of education. So, they have great challenge to enhance the quality of education.

Challenges regarding teacher’s professional development (TPD)

First of all we found that headmasters of borderland schools are less trained about
school management. On the other hand teachers are getting very less opportunity for
trainings and workshops that’s why they are not being professionally developed.
Sometimes if teachers got any training they blame that it just became the formality but
not very fruitful. On the other hand, many teachers after getting training they don’t
implement learning into behavior and again practice what they did in the past.
Furthermore, government is too not paying attention towards observations and
monitoring the practices of teacher and quality of education in the borderland school. If
government of school monitors these aspects it will help to bring more relevant and
effective trainings and modify or improve the existing practices.

Suggestion by borderland teachers

On the basis of above mentioned findings we have brought some suggestions. First
of all for the development of community, society and nation professionalization of
teaching is necessary. Similarly, teachers need to be more responsible for their roles and
responsibilities. It is not only the job of government to initiate the teacher’s professional
development rather it is also the teacher’s devotion which is very important for the
professional development. On the other hand government should make the borderland
schools more resourceful to enhance the level of quality education. regular observation
and monitoring is necessary for the teachers professional development and quality
education. From the above mentioned points we can say that the challenges are not only
in any single dimension but everywhere in the borderland. Borderland schools are more
backward not only from last few years but from many decades. The quality of education
is very low and even decreasing in that region.

In sum major findings can be listed as follows:

 Borderland teachers have beliefs that to teach in the borderland schools is highly
challenging job

 Teachers are struggling with the problem of low quality education

 Teachers are solely made responsible for students failure

 Heterogeneity in the student’s ability is a big issue for borderland teachers

 Dealing with students from diverse cultural, religious and ethnic background is
another challenge.

 No true mainstreaming of Madarasa schools

 Parents attraction towards private schools

 Some parents enroll their children in private school but to control the governance
of community school they enroll their children in community school. They fight
the election of SMC president and do the politics

 Problem of majority and minority of students is enacted in the borderland

 Teachers discuss the common problems in group and modify their practices of
teaching.

 Novice teachers are getting the support from the seniors is one of the practices of
TPD in the borderland schools.

 EMI is found a great issue in the borderland schools

Voices of the Borderland Teachers

During our research we had asked some our participant teachers to share their beliefs on
the teaching profession in the borderland community of Nepal. Here are their voices:
  For the development of community, society and nation professionalization of
teaching is necessary.

 Teachers need to be more responsible for their roles and responsibilities.

 Teachers need self initiation for their professional development.

 Government should make the borderland schools more resourceful.

 Observation and monitoring mechanisms must be strengthened.

 Improvement in all the dimensions of TPD and teachers practices is necessary.

Conclusion

In nutshell, Borderland schools are facing a lot of challenges. Teaching in

borderland school is more challenging. Similarly, several issues are responsible for those
challenges as like religion, caste, ethnicity and level of awareness. If these challenges are
addressed in time, the quality of education can be enhanced. Government is also failing
somewhere to monitor and evaluate the standard of education in borderland schools. On
the basis of the explanation, we can conclude that due to lack of professional
development of teachers the quality of education in borderland school is very low. On the
other hand parents are also not very aware of the importance of education and they don’t
send their children to the school. To overcome these problems first of all local
community should be more responsible for managing the resources for the school and
then level of public awareness must be raised soon. Similarly, teacher must be more
trained and professionally developed. As being a teacher one must be aware of his or her
professional roles and responsibilities. It is not only the job of the government to spoon
fed the knowledge but teachers must gather some useful professional knowledge from
different sources. The most important thing is teachers must be more loyal and
responsible for students learning, success and failure. Teacher’s professional
development is more depended on teacher themselves.

References
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Government of Nepal (2016). School Sector Development Program (2016- 2023).

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Griffiths V.L. (1968). The Problems of Rural Education. UNESCO, International

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Wilson, M. (2014). Education for social justice in rural Nepal. School of Education,
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