KATHMANDU, Feb 16 – Key stakeholders in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) emphasized the urgent need for reforms in institutional structures, policies, and programs to enhance the sector’s contribution to national development.
At a national seminar on “Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Reform Initiatives and Future Strategies”, jointly organized by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED), participants highlighted the importance of collaboration with the private sector, aligning skills with employment opportunities, and addressing the persistent mismatch between workforce production and labor market demands.

Minister for Education Giriraj Mani Pokharel underscored the need for a paradigm shift that links education to skill development, skills to productivity, and productivity to prosperity. He called for multi-stakeholder engagement in shaping three key pieces of legislation aimed at reforming higher, technical-vocational, and general education.

Education Secretary Mahesh Prasad Dahal stated that the government is drafting a new legal framework to expand TVET with a focus on quality. The upcoming law aims to integrate federal, provincial, and local TVET efforts, enhance investment, and respond to market needs. He also highlighted the importance of clearly defining funding structures and governance roles across all levels of government.
Dr. Hari Lamsal, joint secretary at the Ministry, presented a paper on existing challenges and reform efforts. He emphasized the need for targeted support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), increased integration of technology in TVET delivery, and better utilization of existing legal provisions. According to him, skills must be clearly linked either to employment outcomes or educational progress, supported by an integrated and unified system.

Prof. Dr. Mahesh Nath Parajuli, Dean of KUSOED, advocated for strong political will, institutional capacity, funding stability, and culturally appropriate systems to support effective reform. He stressed that local governments must take a leadership role in connecting TVET with local industries and employment generation.

Kathmandu University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ramkantha Makaju Shrestha highlighted the importance of applied skills in preventing youth migration and fostering national growth. Other experts, including former National Planning Commission vice-chair Prof. Dr. Dinesh Chandra Devkota and Prof. Rajendra Adhikari, pointed to a historical undervaluing of vocational education and called for increased investment aligned with Nepal’s federal structure and active labor force.

Krishna Prasad Sapkota, a specialist in decentralization, recommended developing a comprehensive database to monitor the supply and demand of skilled labor, while other experts and senior officials echoed the need for policy and institutional reforms to ensure quality and relevance in TVET.

Industrialists participating in the session on the private sector’s role in TVET and employment stressed the importance of involving employers in curriculum development to better match training with job market needs.

Dr. Prakash Chandra Bhattarai, Head of Development Studies at KUSOED, shared that the university is offering advanced academic programs, including a Master’s in TVET, to develop qualified professionals for the sector.

The government, it was noted, has already committed to establishing technical institutes in each local unit.
The seminar brought together over 100 participants, including lawmakers, policy experts, educators, civil society members, and students, to drive forward the agenda for meaningful reform in Nepal’s TVET sector.