The deadline to change foreign names of Plus-Two colleges into Nepali ones, that reflect Nepali culture, places and Nepali identity, ends this week, but stakeholders seem least bothered about it.

In August, nine students unions affiliated to various opposition parties and the government had signed an 11-point deal, which included giving Nepali names to institutions bearing foreign names.

The deadline ends on December 15, but the government, Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) and the plus-two colleges have not taken initiatives to make the name switch.

According to Narayan Koirala, chief of the Planning and Monitoring Division at the HSEB, out of hundreds of plus-two colleges, only a few, including Oxford International School, Oxbridge International Higher Secondary School, Crimson International School and International Higher Secondary School, have filed applications for changing their names.

Proprietors of some plus-two colleges say renaming their institutions will jeopardise the identity they have built over the years.

“We were not consulted when the decision to switch to Nepali names was made, so we will not change our school names,” said Ram Hari Silwal, member of the Higher Secondary School Association Nepal.

HISSAN has been arguing that renaming institutions does not make sense as the government itself had approved foreign names.

Three months ago, the TU had notified its affiliate colleges to change their foreign names into Nepali ones.

Pralhad Raj Pant, chief of the TU’s Planning Division, said they will take action against institutions concerned if they do not switch to Nepali names within the deadline.

Tek Narayan Panday, director at the Department of Education, said the education ministry is planning to implement Institutional School Standard Directives as a guide for changing foreign names.

Meanwhile, students unions have warned of staging a stern protest programme if the agreement is not implemented.

source: The Himalayan Times,13 Dec 2012