Budhanilkantha School: To Forge Ahead
Paramendra Bhagat
June 26, 2002

1. I am glad SEBSers are talking this topic. It is very important to get SEBS formally integrated into the school's constitution. That might be the first step to take. So that the "guff" has a chance of making it into action.
2. Any suggestions have to take into account Nepal's ground realities as well the nascent global trends. One can come up with ideal suggestions but then be totally off the point because they might be far jumps from reality back there. But one has to keep dreaming nevertheless.
3. I think it is important to think of the long term and work to create a private endowment for the school. In possible collaboration with the likes of the Gates Foundation. Only I don't think the Gates Foundation would be interested, as it is more into health issues. But others can be found.
4. In the long run the goal would be to have a need-blind policy for 100% of applicants. But before that baby steps can be taken, as in need-blind for 25% of the applicants and gradually going upwards.
5. The school's finances have to be made and kept transparent. As well the key admissions process. There has to be an admissions office with set guidelines. These two can be the major sources of ill behavior.
6. In the long run, I hope the school becomes truly national. As in half male, half female. Half from the mountains and hills, and half from the Terai. The Kathmandu valley has 5% of the nation's population, and so the school should have a student population not more than 5% Kathmandu. Possibly move on to have one from each district every year. Have admission tests taken in every district.
7. Other than the admissions policy, there is the age-old issue of quality of education. The selection process for new teachers and the process for promoting teachers ought to be a transparent meritocracy, to be refined over time. The pay has to be hiked. This is key. The bottomline is you have to pay for what you ask for. Teachers from all South Asian countries ought to be encouraged to apply.
8. Over time, the school ought to be made regional, and ought to accept students from the other South Asian countries, on a need-blind basis. This step might be inevitable if the goal would be to create an endowment of substantial size with donations from global foundations.
9. The process of selecting the Principal ought to be gradually detached from the Ministry of Education, and brought into a better represented Board, perhaps that which also has a sitting representative from the Ministry. Perhaps a two years at a time kind of term, to be renewed or not based on performance. Transparent process again. Better pay for the Principal.
10. A more elaborate career counselling process, although I must say I am very pleased with the colleges and universities Budhanilkantha graduates have kept getting admitted to this past decade. Keep it up.
11. Elaborate internet access at school. A much better library. Many more subjects at the post-Class 10 level.
12. A possible Budhanilkantha University later on. Why not? Two separate, parallel instituions. Sharing a name, and little else.
13. I look forward to hearing what others might have to say.