UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

to activate effective and enabling transformation within individuals so that the emerging society benefits from
capable citizens who strongly feel their social obligation to make significant contributions to further empower the
society in all aspects. We therefore feel that there is a need for putting such emphasis on the kind of reform in the
system of education which will serve the all-round development of individuals.
12.4 Keeping this in mind, we are bringing about various changes in the Nepalese education system in order
to make it not only relevant to but also compatible with the existing socio-economic situation. In tune with this,
the whole system of education – both school and university education – has been restructured to make it more
compatible with the system prevalent in most countries in the world. We also believe that actualization of change
in education is possible only when teachers fully understand the intents, processes and contents of the changes to
be introduced. It is through the teachers that any change in education enters the system. As a catalyst, educational
leader and pedagogue, the role of the teacher in the overall gamut of social transformation is of paramount
significance.
12.5 Training for teachers has been crucial in our educational environment. In addition to the regular training
programmes through traditional training centres, we intend to use the open learning mode to provide training for
teachers and also easy access to education. Its importance is more pertinent for a country like Nepal, which is
invariably governed by geographical constraints. I would appreciate it if UNESCO, with its rich experience and
technical know-how, could provide support so that this endeavour can materialize. This strategy, we believe, can
be useful to promote easy access to educational opportunities so that the issue of equity can be addressed.
12.6 Madam President, as we have observed up to the dawn of the new century, there are good reasons to
believe that the twenty-first century will continue to witness a marked acceleration in science and technology.
The traditional norm of employing educated people in white-collar jobs may wither away. They will not be able
to compete in the job market and the relevant workforce will have to be produced. Technical and vocational
education will have a crucial role to play in the new context. Nepal therefore endorses UNESCO’s emphasis on
making technical and vocational education a part of lifelong learning. We know that, unless we place adequate
emphasis on technical and vocational education, a country like Nepal will have enormous difficulties in coping
with the newly emerging economy and society of the twenty-first century. Society is changing and obviously a
changing society needs people with new skills and abilities. The need for the training and retraining of people in
different walks of life has therefore become a matter of urgency in present-day society.
12.7 Fortunately for us, UNESCO has been instrumental in taking action to protect our cultural heritage. The
invaluable support and the assistance it has been providing for the protection and preservation of the cultural
heritage in Nepal is praiseworthy. Nepal is also appreciative of UNESCO’s acceptance of our proposal,
presented at the 28th session of the General Conference, to include Lumbini, the birth place of Gautama Buddha
in the World Heritage List. It is, indeed, a fitting tribute to the Lord Buddha, who spread the light of peace and
non-violence in this violence-ridden world more than two thousand years ago. This decision has certainly helped
to concretize UNESCO’s spirit in establishing the international culture of peace. This General Conference also
bears special significance in view of the fact that preparations are under way for celebrating the year 2000 as
International Year for the Culture of Peace under the auspices of UNESCO. With emphasis placed on an
international culture of peace, the need grows for greater efforts to promote peace by bringing more countries
together and establishing better communication and closer cooperation among them. Through no fault of their
own, people are even today being driven out of their hearths and homes; without strong back-up, they cannot go
back to their places of origin. The case of the Balkan and Central African States are too gruesome to narrate.
Only three weeks ago, our Prime Minister raised a similar issue at the United Nations General Assembly, that of
Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, and requested the international community for support to assist their return to their
homeland.
12.8 Such conferences can be expected to create a congenial atmosphere in this world which would help to
prevent bloodshed and the displacement of people. Thus true reconciliation will become possible and lead us
towards the establishment of a permanent culture of peace and tolerance. An international culture of peace will
not be possible without the cooperation of countries at the regional and international level. Nepal appreciates
UNESCO’s spirit in nurturing an international culture of peace and endorses the Declaration on a Culture of
Peace.
12.9 Madam President, our hope is that this forum will provide an impetus for establishing programmes that
will lead to tangible results that will benefit the majority of the people in our countries who are still lacking the
basic necessities to live a human life. UNESCO, as an intellectual vanguard, has been playing a key role in
bringing all countries together and inducing them to reach an understanding on many pertinent issues such as
education, science, communication and culture. It is widely realized that it will have to play an even more
important role in the future. For that purpose, may I suggest that UNESCO carefully assess its performance in the
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