Kathmandu: The Ministry of Education is doing groundwork to reform engineering institutes under the Tribhuvan University with assistance from the Asian Development Bank.

“A discussion with the ADB officials and the University Grants Commission is underway at the ministry about the reform programmes, including replacement of old laboratories in the engineering institutes,” sources told The Himalayan Times.

The $30-million programme is to provide technical assistance to the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Engineering Campus, Lamachaur, Pokhara and Engineering Campus, Dharan.

It also aims to help set up engineering institutes in the newly established Far-Western and Mid-Western universities, apart from focusing on infrastructure development, capacity enhancement and quality assurance. However, today’s meeting ended inconclusively after the ministry and the varsity grants commission officials stuck to their guns staking claim on the chief of the steering committee.

MoE Joint-secretary Janardan Nepal demanded that the education secretary lead the steering committee of the plan, which lasts three years starting next year.

While the UGC representatives demanded that the UGC chairman hold the committee chair. Both parties have vowed to resolve the issue in the next meeting.

source: The Himalayan Times