ECAN Objects to the No Objection Certificate (NOC) Acceptance Guidelines 2079

Nepal Educational Consultancy Association (ECAN) Objects to the "No Objection Certificate (NOC) Acceptance Guidelines" 2079

The Nepal Educational Consultancy Association (ECAN) has expressed its objection to the "No Objection Certificate (NOC) Acceptance Guidelines" 2079 issued by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Government of Nepal. ECAN claims that the guidelines are not compatible with the current educational standards of the world and do not consider the interests of Nepali students and parents.

Disagreements by ECAN:

1. Definition of higher education: ECAN disagrees with the narrow definition of higher education provided in the guidelines, which is contrary to international standards.
2. Restriction on obtaining NOC for school-level education: ECAN opposes the restriction on issuing NOC to students who want to study at the school level at their own expense or pursue higher education based on language studies.
3. Lack of operational plan: ECAN points out the absence of an operational plan in preparing the list of universities, educational institutions, and programs for granting NOC approval.
4. No private sector representation: ECAN criticizes the lack of private sector representation in the consultation committee regarding the provision of foreign study approval. ECAN argues that the participation of concerned private sector associations, such as parents and professional representatives, should be ensured in the said committee.

Call to action by ECAN:

ECAN has urged the Ministry of Education to revise the guidelines immediately, taking into account the concerns mentioned above. Otherwise, ECAN threatens to strongly resist against the guidelines that are against the interests of Nepali students and parents, and suppress their constitutional right to education. ECAN emphasizes the need for meaningful participation from all concerned parties in the revision process.

Published on 9th April 2023