Nepal/U.S. Curriculum Translation

Education System

School Year: April to March | Compulsory Education: Grades 1 – 8 | Graduation: Grade 12

Nepal/U.S. Grading Scale

Transition Supports

Education Practice:

The Nepalese government released a new set of education reforms in 2016. In these reforms, the government made local languages the language of instruction for grades 1-3,  extended compulsory education through the 8th grade, and re-aligned the secondary school format from a lower and upper 2+2 format to a unified 4 year system. This realignment eliminated a stop-gap for students at grade 10, who were previously required to pass rigorous examinations to continue to 11th, and led to an increase in the number of students completing education through grade 12. Students who complete grade 12 sit for a national exam, and those who completed a vocational track go on to a 1 year internship or apprenticeship before entering the workforce. 

Despite reforms, educational attainment still varies widely in Nepal, and is largely dependent on gender, location, income, and ethnicity. Male students from a higher caste that live in the urban area of Kathmandu are more likely to receive a quality education than female students from a lower caste in a rural area (Neupane, 2017).

Though these reforms are slow to be implemented, especially in more rural areas, they have increased gender parity in education by placing an emphasis on female education, improved the overall adult literacy rate, and increased the percentage of students entering and completing elementary education. Additionally, the updated curriculum framework places greater emphasis on critical thinking and analysis over rote memorization and recitation. 

U.S. Educator Implications:

English is the official language of commerce in Nepal, and is a compulsory subject through grade 12, however, more rural areas may struggle to find a competent teacher pool and therefore an English fluency exam is recommended for placement. 

Poverty is extreme in Nepal, with many families subsisting on less than $1 per day. Families may therefore be concerned regarding school cost, as they are used to being required to pay substantial supplemental fees. Connecting families to social supports and assisting in the completion of free and reduced lunch forms can help set parent and student minds at ease. 

Nepal still recognizes a caste system, with education primarily falling to the higher castes, particularly after elementary school. Ensuring families that all students are entitled to the same education, and being intentionally welcoming to newcomer students through organized activities or events, may help ease perceived stigma and assist with transition.

Both political instability and a frequency of large scale earthquakes commonly disrupt student education. Educators should consider this when evaluating any gaps in education records and consider placement tests where appropriate.

Strategies for Transition

• Get to know your students by building positive relationships.
  
• Provide multicultural education where texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives represent people from different cultural backgrounds.
  
• Allow a reasonable amount of transition time.
• Nepal recognizes a caste system. Students that come from lower castes may be withdrawn and have difficulty approaching others socially to make friends (Neupane, 2017). Assigning student partners to aid in peer interaction may help students feel more comfortable. 
• Child marriage is still prevalent in Nepal and families may not realize the illegality in the U.S. Connecting families with social services that can educate them on the law may be necessary. 
• The changes in the education system implemented in 2016 have been slow to take place in more rural areas. Students may also have gaps in education due to earthquakes and political protests. Providing differentiated instruction and intervention resources will assist in closing achievement gaps.
  
• Though gender parity has increased under the education reforms implemented in 2016, females are still viewed as secondary to male students and expected to fulfill traditional gender roles  (Neupane, 2017). They may therefore display subordinate behavior such as lack of eye contact, and automatic compliance. Encouraging and displaying gender equality for all students is a best practice (USAID, 2014). 
• Gender-based violence is not uncommon in schools, with male students displaying violence toward their female peers (USAID, 2021). Partnering students with same-gender partners will help reduce such displays, and educating families on the district’s code of conduct may be necessary. 
• Greetings are important in Nepali culture. The traditional greeting for “hello” is Namaste. This is done with a nod of the head which is considered a sign of respect for each other. When in doubt, greet students with a friendly smile. 
• Educators should take note of their physical stance.  Standing with folded arms or hands on hips can be interpreted as an aggressive posture. 
• It is uncourteous to point in Nepal. Educators should flatten their hand when directing students or requesting a response. 

Resources:

1. WENR
2. http://doe.gov.np/assets/uploads/files/87b3287f8f46c497c2cb97d7d4504f5a.pdf 
3. http://www.moe.gov.np/assets/uploads/files/National-Curriculum-Framework-2007-English.pdf 
4. Math curriculum: file:///C:/Users/34854/Downloads/RS9687_RS9455_COMPULSARY%20CURRICULUM%20GRADE%2011-12%20mathematics.pdf 
5. 11th grade curriculum: http://www2.toyo.ac.jp/~otsuji/img/file20.pdf 
6. 12th grade curriculum:http://www2.toyo.ac.jp/~otsuji/img/file21.pdf 
7. Compulsory and optional subjects: https://www.collegenp.com/article/new-curriculum-of-class-11-and-12-all-subjects/ 
8. Barriers to education and school attainment: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1130352.pdf 
9. USAID https://www.usaid.gov/nepal/education