The Status of Teacher Education and Development in Nepal
In the context of significant recent changes to the education administration in Nepal, this report presents the findings of a research project commissioned by the British Council into the status of teacher education and development in the country. The primary focus is on continuing professional development (CPD), though, to contextualise what happens at the in-service level, we also provide an analysis of initial teacher preparation. While the issues examined here are of broad relevance, the study targeted primary and secondary education teachers of three core subjects – English, Mathematics and Science – working in community (public) schools. The report starts by outlining the national context, with particular attention to recent changes in the political system and their implications for education and specifically for teacher development. This is followed by a brief review of insights from the literature into effective approaches to teacher education and professional development. The objectives and methodology of the research are then described, after which the results are presented for pre-service teacher education and CPD in turn. The report concludes with recommendations for both these sectors.