Unleashing Digital Education: Bridging Gaps and Nurturing the Future in Nepal

Access to Infinite Information

How would you like your learning materials to be available? In the palm of your hand or at a great distance from your location?

Learning is no longer limited to traditional methods in the present era. Nowadays, we don't have to attend physical schools and training institutes for education. Information can be accessed through the internet, and the learning content is detailed, elaborated, and linked to various sources such as encyclopedias and related websites. It's clear that this information can be accessed through modern technological devices like cell phones and laptops.

Internet Dependencies

According to data provided by the NTA in 2017, there were 2.25 million new internet users in Nepal, 9.3 million Facebook users, and 6.4 million YouTube users. What might these numbers be in 2022?

This number has significantly increased by a staggering 24.51%, already surpassing 11 million. This figure demonstrates our current dependence on internet services for traveling, entertainment, food, shopping, reservations, payments, financial transactions, and much more. It also reflects our future in the digital market.

Plans and Policies for Digitalization

The education sector is one of the eight major Digital Initiatives outlined in the Government of Nepal's "Digital Initiative Framework Plan," introduced in 2019. This plan covers one nation, eight sectors, and 80 digital initiatives.

The eight digital initiatives are:

1. Digital Foundation
2. Agriculture
3. Health
4. Education
5. Energy
6. Tourism
7. Finance
8. Urban Infrastructure

According to this plan, the Nepal government aims to enhance digital education by:

• Compulsory IT education for schools and colleges

For this initiative, the most important thing is to make dedicated courses for information and technology education from the basic to the advanced level.

• Geographic Information System GIS for school and college

Each and every locality and geographical location has its own specialized custom and teaching. For that, making the course repository is a must. This enriches the concentrated course repository of that locality and state.

• Strengthening the education system's capacity to impart advanced information and communication technology (ICT).

The quality of the created course, its teaching faculty, and infrastructure should be more than adequate. Only then can we optimize the education system's capacity to generate more skilled manpower in related fields.

• ICT education Implementation real community and underprivileged communities.

Access to knowledge related to information and technology must be made at every level of society regardless of gender, geography, and ethnicity.

Digitalization Today

Despite the Nepal government's plan for the implementation of these Digital Initiatives, let's examine the current scenario:

• Physical attendance is required for courses available only in specific locations and provided by specific resources.
• Individuals must travel long distances to attend their courses due to the concentration of technology and resources in specific geographical areas.
• Courses have limited enrollment due to infrastructure constraints and high costs.
• Courses are geographically limited because infrastructure and technological development are concentrated in urban areas.
• Assignments and assessments are handled physically, adhering to traditional methods.
• Geographical limitations and high operational costs have resulted in a shortage of qualified training resources.
• High investments and charges are necessitated by the large operating costs and resource utilization.

Future and Solutions

Now the question arises: how can we achieve the government's targets?

It is entirely possible through the implementation of digital learning methodologies, which enable:

• Making learning materials available on digital platforms, allowing an unlimited number of individuals to join courses without limitations.
• Accessing materials from any corner of the country without geographical restrictions once you have an internet connection.
• Managing learning on an individual's own schedule, as materials are accessible at any time or according to convenience.
• Centralized assignment submission and assessment.
• Optimal utilization of limited resources, as there is no limitation on enrollment.
• Lower operational costs due to efficient resource use.
• High return on investment because of the reduced operational costs and resource utilization.

Thanks to rapid developments in information technology, we have virtually unlimited access to learning resources. By harnessing this progress, we can successfully implement national-level plans and policies and achieve our desired outcomes. Any obstacles and issues that hinder the learning process can be systematically addressed through digitization and digitalization advancements.

It is entirely possible to make learning accessible from anywhere and at any time through digital learning methodologies, and we have the means to make it happen.