Education system must prepare students for future challenges and opportunities: President Paudel

Kathmandu: President Ram Chandra Paudel has said Nepal’s education system must prepare students not only to meet present needs but also to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities of the future.

President Paudel made the remarks on Saturday while addressing a programme marking the 80th anniversary of student enrolment and the Diamond Jubilee of Pashupati Mitra Secondary School in Kathmandu.

“The modern world is undergoing rapid transformation. Advances in science, technology, artificial intelligence and communication are changing the nature and demands of education. In this context, our education system must prepare students not only for the present but also for the challenges and opportunities of the future,” he said.

The President stressed that fundamental human values must be strengthened alongside technological and scientific progress.

“As technology becomes increasingly powerful, human judgment, responsibility and sensitivity become even more important. Therefore, alongside modern knowledge and skills, education must place humanity, tolerance, social harmony and responsibility towards the nation at its centre,” Paudel said.

He described schools as foundational institutions that shape the nation’s future by imparting knowledge, fostering awareness and nurturing consciousness among students.

School classrooms, he said, are not merely places for learning from textbooks; they also instil essential life values, including discipline, honesty, hard work, tolerance, morality, patriotism and social responsibility.

Paudel noted that today’s students would become tomorrow’s teachers, doctors, engineers, administrators, entrepreneurs, politicians, scientists and responsible citizens.

“Education is not simply about helping students achieve good examination results. It is also about laying the foundation for problem-solving, innovative thinking, effective use of technology and responsible citizenship in society and the nation,” he said.

The President emphasised that achieving these goals requires coordinated efforts by the government, policymakers and all stakeholders in the education sector.