Emphasising the need to establish open university in the country, educationist Mana Prasad Wagle today said the proposed plan for open university is yet to see the light of day since it is not in the interest of any political party.

Speaking at an interaction on Open and Distance Education, Wagle suggested that all the universities begin distance or open-learning mode of education to meet the needs of busy people.

“If we wait and only discuss about opening an open university, we will reach nowhere even at the end of the next two decades,” added Wagle.

With the changed market scenario and rise of working people’s keen interest in pursuing distance learning courses, some universities in the country and some institutions affiliated to open universities in foreign countries have been imparting distance education, but the law of open university within Higher Education Act is pending at the parliamentary secretariat after parliament was dissolved on May 27 last year.

Chief of National Centre for Education Development, Dilli Ram Rimal underlined the need for an open university saying that it was important to bring a law, albeit in a small form, but it will open the door for an open university and the law can be amended later as per the need.

The programme was jointly organised by Education Journalists’ Group and International Centre for Academics (ICA).

ICA which has been imparting distance education in affiliation with Indira Gandhi National Open University has received the Best Overseas Partner Institution 2013 from IGNOU.

Likewise, Hope International and Lord Buddha Education Foundation are running distance mode of higher education in the country in affiliation with foreign universities.

The master’s programme in Faculty of Education at Kathmandu University and one-year B Ed programme of Purbanchal University are some of the ongoing programmes in the ODL mode.

source: the himalayan times, 16 april 2013