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Recently, the news regarding discussion over shortening the four-year undergraduate degree caught my attention. As per news reports, such a need was felt due to high drop-out rates and no employment guarantee after completing the course. It has also come to light that the four-year course often takes five years to complete, and students struggle to financially support their studies. In this context, rather than returning to the three-year bachelor's degree, the university should develop concrete plans to ensure that the four-year degree adheres to the academic calendar and is completed within four years. 

Furthermore, the university should introduce new curricula that are industry-friendly, bridging the gap between the classroom and the real business world. These curricula should link academic courses to business profiles with the potential to thrive anywhere in the world.

In this short piece, my primary focus lies on how the curriculum can be revised to mitigate the significant drop-out rates. While my ideas may be more pertinent to the Information Technology and Management fields, they can offer valuable insights to the ongoing discussions. The curriculum should be designed with the goal of empowering students to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world situations or the business world. For instance, in the context of Business Communication, a subject tailored for management students, we can integrate courses like e-commerce, report writing and interpersonal communication, among others. When studying e-commerce, students could have the opportunity to visit actual e-commerce businesses to gain practical insights into their operations. Additionally, inviting founders or co-founders to share their entrepreneurial journeys in the classroom could serve as a source of inspiration for students contemplating the initiation of their own e-commerce ventures.

Prospects of Freelancing/Outsourcing

We live in a globally interconnected world. Despite living in a land-locked country, we can contribute significantly in the knowledge industry. Nepali university graduates can work on projects where distance and weight are not taken into consideration. They can become the workforce of European or the US companies if they champion certain skill sets. Taxation on the income earned through foreign exchange is quite lower compared to income earned through salary or investment in Nepal. As per the report, information technology services brought Rs 67 billion rupees to Nepal, with joint efforts of 106 information technology companies and some 15,000 freelancers.

By championing certain skill sets I mean acquiring skills and extending knowledge areas that are being sold faster than others. Several online workforce platforms, such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour, have gained global recognition. Their statistics show top jobs or skills that sell more than others. Based on their real-time data, interactions and jobs, they also rank certain skills and sub-skills. They also rank those skills based on their nature like technology, marketing, customer service and admin, accounting and consulting, design and creative etc. Among the skills Upwork ranked for 2023, full stack development, front-end development, back-end development and mobile-app development are skills that sell the most under tech skills. Similarly, search engine optimization, social media marketing, search engine marketing, email marketing are some most salable skill sets under marketing. Likewise, under customer support and admin, email, phone and chat support, virtual assistance, data entry, digital project management, research and transcription are the most in-demand skills. There are accounting and creative skills which are also in demand encompassing skills from recruiting and talent sourcing to graphic design and business analysis to video editing.

Developing Skills from Colleges to Beyond

My concern is that the university students can link their academics to a number of salable skills including the mentioned ones. They can create clubs in their respective college where they can discuss and share their knowledge related to the skill set. There can be a front-end development club, digital marketing club, virtual assistance and data entry club, translation and subtitle club and many other clubs that can work together for common good. For the successful operation of such clubs, the college management can also facilitate and provide expert counseling and coaching. The students that do not have clubs in their colleges can hone their skills independently taking classes in training centers.

The benefits of such platforms are tremendous. Technology has also made society homogenous. Nationality and national borders have blurred. A Kenyan teacher assists to write research papers to a British university graduate student and a Nepali software engineer works with a Dutch programmer to create a global web application owned by an American. You need to showcase your portfolio in a detailed and precise manner and start applying to those related to your skills. Most of the jobs in those platforms are looking for skills that our university students may possess. Rest of the details like race, nationality, age, sex do not matter. Hence, young graduates need to pick up a skill or two based on their interest and existing knowledge. They then need to hone their skills, and need to apply the skills to job providers in the global online marketplace.

According to the 2023 financial report from Payoneer, an American financial services company, there has been a significant increase in demand for skills such as programming, marketing, project management, and web design over the past year. The report also highlights that 46% of freelancers experienced an increase in demand for their work, indicating a growing reliance on freelancers by businesses. Nepali university graduates should join this global freelancing trend to financially support their studies. Some may even progress to the next level by forming companies and teams, potentially achieving millionaire status within a few years.

Local governance is not only the devolution of electoral representation to the grassroots but also the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. As opposed to provincial and central governments, local governments recognize local issues that are addressed at the local level.

Local governance embodies the true spirit of federalism, for it deals with socio-economic problems, including urban and rural civic facilities, with an active participation of commoners. In fact, local governments are key players of service delivery and the adjudicator of local disputes. From maintaining the natural environment to waste management to registering individuals’ life events like birth, death, marriage, we see the presence and importance of local bodies everywhere.

Legal mandates

As local governments are critical for a democracy to thrive, the Constitution of Nepal recognizes this institution under Part-17. Article 214 envisages vesting local executives with executive powers of the local government while Article 217 deals with Judicial Committees empowered to settle disputes by way of alternate dispute resolution at the local level. The Local Government Operation Act, 2074 BS (2017) under Section 47(1) empowers the Judicial Committees to dispense as many as 13 types of disputes, including that of petitions regarding non-payment of daily wages, matrimonial disputes and trespassing. Section 27 of the Act, 2074 lays down a solemn duty on every person to get a proposed design (map) of the house passed from the concerned local body before its construction. Section 37 confers power on local bodies to take action against the person constructing a permanent structure without taking approval for a proposed design. These legal mandates are sufficient to conclude that local governments have a huge legal mandate and they are the lifeline of Nepal’s federal democracy.

The municipality’s development efforts, as articulated by the laws, need to be modified in the light of new realities. The legal mandate has to be acknowledged in a true and material sense.

For instance, the Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2018 vests local bodies with a responsibility to ensure that parents send their wards to school. Kids can hardly get an education if their guardians don’t have a job and sufficient means of livelihood. Our constitution, under Article 33, guarantees the right to employment to every citizen as a matter of fundamental right. Yet, our youths are toiling abroad for a ‘better future’.

As per the mandate of the Right to Employment Act, 2075 BS, local bodies are required to prepare a list of unemployed youths. The Employment Service Center (ESC), formed by the Government of Nepal, is given the authority under Section 11(2) of the Right to Employment Act to compile a list of “actual” jobless people from the list of all applicants and provide them temporary jobs. Details like when and for how long the applicants will be hired are not specified in the Act.

According to Section 11(3) of the Employment Act, ESC must also submit its reports to the provincial government. Section 10(2) states that the ESC will act with the help and advice of the central government. As a result, the central government has a lot of discretionary power to give shape to the employment policy. This goes against the federal fabrics. The central government’s myopic vision is to blame for non-enforcement of this law.

There is nothing to put a stop on the outmigration of workers. Our youths are toiling in the Gulf for a better income. Due to extreme temperatures in the Gulf countries, they suffer from different diseases. At old age, they have no option but to spend the rest of their hard-earned money on treatment and become poor, once again. 

Job creation is the only solution to unemployment problems. Our education system should be updated in the light of changing realities to produce human resources compatible with the job market.  

Even praiseworthy legal mandates will continue to fall short unless they are implemented in a true and objective manner. Take an example of Janakpur, an ancient place with the legacies of Mithila’s capital city and the birthplace of great philosophers like Gargi and Yajnavalkya. But pollution in the capital city of Madhes Province often upsets the people and this unpleasant atmosphere is causing harm to its identity as a great place of historical significance.

Local government’s efforts to make Janakpurdham a cleaner and greener place will be in vain unless local communities support the efforts. As a first step toward restoring the glory of Janakpur, tourist attractions like Janaki Temple, Ram Temple, 12-Bigha, Rajdevi Mai Temple and religious ponds should be cleaned up. A ban on public and private vehicles may be imposed in and around historic places to curb pollution and maintain their beauty. Janakpur Municipality can take a leaf from Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which has imposed a ban on the use of public and private vehicles at historic places like Hanumandhoka and Basantpur.  

Take an example of waste management. The local government of Janakpur has deployed its staff to broom, pick up the wastes and keep the streets clean. Because of their active role, Janakpur appears a bit cleaner. In the early morning, streets appear cleaner but after 10 AM, it’s a different story. The shopkeepers, hotels, and even local people have developed a tendency of throwing garbage and solid wastes on the streets. They believe that their duty ends up with maintaining cleanliness of their respective places/residences. Feast and function organizers are no different. They splurge on feasts, but don’t spend much on waste management. Government and private hospitals also do not care much about waste management. Given this situation, we need joint cooperation from every walk of life to fight against environmental menace and to launch a cleanliness drive in Janakpurdham.

For proper management of unattended cows, of which the streets of Janakpurdham had no dearth, the municipality has developed a “Gaushala”. Other local units can replicate this practice. In addition, the municipality has developed a parking place and a stadium. These attempts of the municipality are indeed praiseworthy.

The way forward

A nationwide effort is a must to strengthen the local governance system for promoting social harmony, fostering the concept of welfare state and speeding up local development. Sustainable development goals like quality education, clean water and sanitation, gender equality, and sustainable cities and communities will remain on paper unless we succeed in translating legal mandates into reality. It’s high time we lived up to people’s expectations. Our laws should be implemented in letter and spirit for the cause of local governance and federal democracy. 

I’m a 30-year-old woman and I have trouble managing my emotions. I get hurt easily and I tend to lash out and say mean things in response. I get angry often and that too at the drop of a hat. I want to control myself but I’m easily agitated. What can I do to manage my emotions better and not react to everything that happens in a negative way?  

Answered by Rishav Koirala, psychiatrist and researcher

Effectively managing emotions, especially when they tend to lead to impulsive reactions like hurtful comments and heightened anger, is a multifaceted endeavor. It starts with developing a deep sense of self-awareness, involving an honest examination of your emotions and their triggers. Keeping a journal to track these triggers can provide valuable insights. Practicing deep breathing and mindfulness techniques can help you stay grounded in the present and mitigate the physiological effects of strong emotions. Additionally, employing a pause, such as counting to ten, before responding to emotional triggers can prevent impulsive reactions.

Identifying and challenging negative thought patterns, possibly with the assistance of cognitive behavioral therapy, is pivotal in changing the way you interpret and respond to situations. Seeking professional help, especially if these emotional challenges significantly affect your life and relationships, can provide you with specialized strategies and support. Healthy outlets like physical activities, creative expressions, and learning conflict resolution skills are vital tools in managing emotions constructively. Cultivating empathy and understanding for others’ perspectives, coupled with positive coping mechanisms and patience with yourself during the learning process, can contribute to more effective emotional management and a healthier outlook in life.

Treatment options may include a combination of psychotherapy, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which can equip you with better emotional control and coping strategies. You might also need to be on medication if there is an underlying mood or anxiety disorder contributing to your emotional struggles.

Additionally, I would recommend establishing a holistic approach to emotional well-being, which may include lifestyle modifications such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management techniques. Developing a support network and learning communication and conflict resolution skills can further enhance emotional regulation.

Ultimately, my goal as a psychiatrist would be to work collaboratively with you to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses the root causes of your emotional challenges and helps you achieve better emotional control and well-being.

Sally Diamond is strange. She doesn’t always function in the way she’s expected to, meaning she doesn’t fit into society’s standards of ‘normal’. When her dad dies, she puts him out with the trash, because he once mentioned that is what she should do: ‘When I die, put me out with the bins. I’ll be dead, so I won’t know any different.’ This leads to a furor that unravels a lot of secrets of Sally’s past, and all of it happens under the glare of the media and public.

Sally’s father has left her letters and they have details about her childhood that she had never known before. Apparently, the people she thought were her parents were her foster parents and her real mother Denise Norton was abducted as a child. Sally was born in captivity. As she comes to terms with it, Sally also has to learn to be more social and adapt to a world whose ways are alien to her. It’s not easy because she has led a protected and sheltered life where everything has been taken care of for her. She is 42 but she has never had a job and now, without her father to take care of her, she will have to find one. It doesn’t help that as people find out about her troubled past, they look at and treat her differently.

Then, she starts getting creepy mail: an old toy, and a birthday card, that makes her believe Conor Geary, her father and the man who kidnapped Denise, is alive and wants to connect with her. There is also Mark, a guy who seems to be obsessed with her and her past. He’s been asking questions about her and showing up almost everywhere she goes.

‘Strange Sally Diamond’ isn’t your regular thriller. Though it’s definitely a page-turner, the book is character-driven rather than plot-driven. The suspense element is just one aspect of the book and not the main focus. Instead, the book discusses trauma and grief, explores the effects of crime on the victim’s family, and shows how your childhood impacts your life.

Sally is a compelling but complex character. Though she’s the protagonist, she isn’t made out to be a hero. She doesn’t always have other people’s best interests at heart and that makes her relatable. Slightly reminiscent of Emma Donoghue’s ‘Room’, Strange Sally Diamond is a thriller where the crime is downplayed and the spotlight is on the aftermath. In turn delightful and disturbing, this is a book that will stay on your mind long after you finish it.

The book is Nugent’s fifth but my first time reading her. I’m going to hunt for her other books and read them all. That’s just how much I enjoyed Strange Sally Diamond. Nugent is quite famous in Ireland and, over the years, her books have been on different bestseller lists. She has also won four Irish Book Awards and the James Joyce Medal for Literature.

Fiction

Strange Sally Diamond

Liz Nugent

Published: 2023

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Pages: 363, Paperback