| Username |
Post |
| VincentBodega |
Posted
on 04-Oct-03 12:11 PM
Should government invest in BKNS?
If yes why? If no why?
Lets have at it !!!
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| salakjith |
Posted
on 04-Oct-03 02:02 PM
The investment made by Nepali Government and the British Government towards BNKS was probably with the best of intensions. Since 1972, the school has been producing highly capable students with the ability to compete globally. But the question remains: is it okay for the school to produce students who would inevitably end up in another country -- a school founded on the principles of investing into the future of Nepal -- a school established by the tax payers of Nepal and the UK.
Well from the students point of view, they simply followed their natural path of incentives. The school itself prides itself in being able to prepare students to compete with the likes of Harvard and MIT. The onus it seems lie on the government to shape their policies such that their investment turns into profitable returns for the Nation. And perhaps the onus also lies on us, the tax payers of Nepal, to force the government to better utilize the tax money we pay. It is quite pointless blaming the school or the students as such. The blame pretty much goes to the ineptness of the government for not being able to see through the scheme of bringing real returns to the Nation with our money.
That being said, it is perhaps still reasonable for the government to invest into producing a few academically elite studentsbut with proper mechanism to make sure the investment does not go astray. If the government provides full scholarship for a few bright students with tax payers money, they should do it conditionally: either make them payable to the government once they get a career (no matter where they are), or make them work for the government for a certain number of years that would account for their initial investment. Alas such prudence is the last thing Nepali government has been known for.
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| salakjith |
Posted
on 04-Oct-03 04:51 PM
Well what I am saying is that there is a rather limited if not non-existent incentive for an individual to contribute to the Nation of birth. If some people do feel compelled by philanthropic ideals, it is a different matter. But that is not very reassuring for the tax-payers and the governments point of view. If you were to invest into anything, you would rather want to minimize the risk and do a bit more to see that the promise of a good return is realized as far as possible.
The point of foreign remuneration seems like a rather shaky argument to me. Though it is a fact that such remuneration is the largest part of Nepali economy at the moment, the govt could have done more to at least ensure that the money it spent directly on educating certain individuals (like giving full scholarship for 10 years) would not go astray. But again, I am not against the students themselves; it is only natural for an individual to seek what is best for him/her and earn the best possible wage wherever possible; nothing is wrong with it. It is a free world and anyone should ideally be able to seek the best possible opportunity. The burden is on the govt to give incentive to attract its citizens to work for the nation it is running. But if the govt used tax payers money to sponsor people, then they should also enforce certain conditions with the sponsorship. That sounds reasonable to me.
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| prawin |
Posted
on 04-Oct-03 05:19 PM
people imagine that all students from BNKS end up in other countries. that is not true. people also imagine that BNKS students aren't giivng back to the country. that isn't true either.
i believe a greater fraction of graduates from BNKS end up teaching, at one point or other, than graduates of any other highschool. i think that is the most direct contribution a student can make.
it is difficult to tell an individual that he ows so much to the nation or the society, when the investment upon him was made without his consent. ten year olds don't know what their duties to the civic society are. it is the nineteen years old who have to ask themselves those questions. how do you tell a nineteen year old that he shouldn't imagine for himself the best in life?
Although the Sebsonline.org site doesn't tell how many BNKS graduates are in a particular profession, if you go through the directory, you would be surprised at the number of people who are directly giving back to the country. even those who have settled outside the country are generally involved in some way, in making a difference.
since i am registered at sajha.com under my real name, i felt i should respond.
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| VincentBodega |
Posted
on 04-Oct-03 05:19 PM
Then why provide financial assistance to just BKNS? Why not other schools? cant the students from other schools contribute on the same level? Cant they be the secretary of state of some hifi nation and sign a treaty in favor of Nepal some five zillion years down the road?
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