Kathmandu: A taskforce, formed to review and reform the curriculum of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), submitted its report on Monday to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. The taskforce was established on July 22, 2024, following a ministerial decision, and led by curriculum expert Dr. Lekhnath Paudel. The five-member team was tasked with reviewing and evaluating the current curriculum, identifying gaps, and proposing areas for improvement.

The taskforce’s mandate included aligning the curriculum with the demands and needs of industries and employers, enhancing its relevance, and suggesting measures for adapting it to labor market trends.

Additionally, the taskforce was asked to recommend reforms in the curriculum development process, ensuring it meets labor market requirements. They were also responsible for proposing suggestions to bring uniformity in the technical stream curriculum for grades 9-12, as well as pre-diploma and diploma levels. The overall aim was to assist students in gaining employment through improved curriculum development and implementation.

The report presented by the taskforce emphasized creating skilled manpower at various levels in line with labor market demands, restructuring diploma and pre-diploma programs with a focus on the core objectives of the TVET program, and ensuring meaningful participation of professionals in the curriculum development and implementation processes. It also included recommendations to improve the curriculum implementation and student evaluation systems.

In addition, the report suggested modifying the curriculum structure in alignment with the format of CTEVT (Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training) programs, coordinating between technical streams and CTEVT-run programs, and introducing vocational education orientation instead of a technical stream in grades 9 and 10. The taskforce proposed including subjects like career, vocational, and professional counseling as elective subjects, and commencing technical education only after grade 10. Moreover, they recommended developing a comprehensive policy and strategy document to guide curriculum development.

On the same day, the ministry also held an interaction with Mid-Western University regarding educational reforms.