4.2 Equality and equity in education

4.2.1      Concept and measures

Concept

Equal opportunity in education comes into implementation by the principle of equity in real sense rather than the principle of equality. The principle of equality evaluates all people in the same category. It advocates to give the same opportunity to the rich and poor, privileged and marginalized, and geographically privileged region and rural area. It is obvious fact that such principle is a hollow slogan because two students on from privileged family and another from marginalized family cannot compete to each other. The same is the case with geographical regions. Therefore the principle of equality only serves the interest of rich people. On the other hand, principle of equity advocates to select all people in terms of different criteria in accordance to the social justice, and to give opportunity of education. It attempts to manage education for poor people, marginalized, underprivileged and people of geographically difficult areas by reservation and quota system. Only then equal opportunity in education comes into implication implementation in true sense.

Actually to say equal opportunity in education for all by keeping other unjust social structure intact is a hallow slogan to cheat people and to keep continue the same social and social and political system. In fact, educational opportunity should be distributed on the basis of the principle of equity which is based on social justice.

Measures

Measures for equality and equity in education refers to assessing the aspects to find out whether all members of a society have equal and equitable access to education. These following are the measures to evaluate whether equal and equitable opportunity in education is in practice:

i.                   National Educational Policy 

Equal and equitable opportunity in education can be evaluated by assessing the national educational policy of a particular nation. If the policy offers reasonable measures to provide conducive environment, all the marginalized, the backward, the poor and the discriminated get opportunity equally. Then only all of them can enjoy the equitable opportunity of education in real sense.

ii.                 Investment in Education 

The more government invests in education, the more there is possibility of implementation of equal and equitable opportunity in education. So investment in education also shows the reality of equitable opportunity in education. The investment should be done in the remote areas of the nations the marginalized groups should be emphasized by the government investment. Only then the equity in education slogan will come in reality.

iii.              Social Perception

Social and cultural perception to education also measures whether equal and equity based opportunity in education is really in practice or remains only verbal claims. Social and cultural disparities to the female show whether male and female have equal right to education. The gender discrimination, cast, ethnicity, geography, language etc. types of social issues' views of society must be changed in our context. The result must be appear in the data of literacy rate of the different situation related to the issues.

iv.              Use of Mother Tongue in Teaching 

One of the major hindrances for implementing equal and equitable opportunity in education is the language that is used in teaching-learning process especially in primary education. Most of the children drop out from the school because the language of teaching-learning access is not the language which they speak at home and in the society. So, use of mother tongue at least in primary education motivates children to go school.

4.2.2      Access and achievement in school education in Nepal

In the context of Nepal, there are so many social issues and difficulty to implement to equity and equality based education. In Nepal's political system there are so many changes in recent years. Education is also the major sector to be reformed in this changing situation was people's demand, people's real concern was to apply equity-based education. All parts of the nation, the government should implement equity-based education in every issue. Minimize the effects of social issues in education. For this the policy of government, the investment in education and the social perception must be change towards the educational equity.

Investment in education has been increased compared to past years to make equity in education in Nepal. Different kinds of programs are lunching for increasing school admission rate, reducing dropout rates and class repetition rates; which are food for education, mandatory fundamental education, free secondary education, scholarships, free higher education for minority groups, marginalized, differently skilled individuals, enhancing the gender ratio of teachers at primary level, etc.

Local government law 2074 BS has ensured various instructional provisions, basic and secondary education has provided under local government management. There are 23 rights areas linked to education that should be implemented at the fundamental community level. Through this the communities or local bodies can develop the curriculum according to their needs and aspiration and empower the local level according to their capacity, needs and interest.

The planned development of BS in Nepal began from 2013. Fourteen plans have been finished by this year. Ten of them were a five-year plan and five were three-year plans.  The 14th plan (3-year plan) was finished in Ashad 2076 BS. After that, the 15th plan is being implemented. Until the 2072/073 primary school admission rate (class 1 to 5) was 96.6 percent, the basic level (class 1 to 8) was 89.4 percent, the secondary level (class 9 to 12) was 37.3 percent, and the sustainable secondary level (class 1 to 10) was 37.9 percent. Until that primary level dropout rate for the fiscal year (Class 1 to 50) was 3.9 percent, the repetition rate for the class was 7.6 percent. We are implementing the 15th plan and this plan aims to increase the literacy rate of 15 years above people from 58 percent to 90 percent, the adult literacy rate from 85 percent to 99 percent, the total admission rate of the basic level from 92.5 percent to 99.5 percent and the total admission rate of the secondary level (class 9 to 12) from 43.9 percent to 65 percent. At pre-primary level, the total admission rate will be cent percent, the total admission rate for higher education will be 22 percent, the technical and vocational literacy population will be increased from 25 percent to 60 percent, mother language used in teaching schools will be increased by 20 percent, and female teacher ratio in basic level will be minimum 50 percent, in secondary level 30 percent students will be in technical education and 15 percent students will be in science stream.