Opinion article has errors in figures

South Asia Check / March 21, 2019

Columnist Achyut Wagle in his opinion piece titled “Higher education in crisis” published in The Kathmandu Post, an English national daily, on March 19, 2019 has based his opinion on incorrect information. In the article he has mentioned the following statistics:

1. Foreign Employment data shows that in 1996, the year the Maoists launched the so-called People’s War, only 3,605 youths registered to migrate abroad for work.
2. Now, according to several estimates the absentee [living abroad] working age population is at least 4 million.
3. Annually 100,000 students migrate for self-paid higher education.
4. There are nine universities in the country.

South Asia Check has examined the reliability of the figures mentioned in the article.

1. Foreign Employment data shows that in 1996, the year the Maoists launched the so-called People’s War, only 3,605 youths registered to migrate abroad for work.

According to a report ‘Labor Migration for Employment – A status Report for Nepal’, 2013/2014 published by the Department of Foreign Employment, a total of 3,605 Nepalis left the country for foreign employment in fiscal year 1993/94, not in the year 1996 as mentioned by author. An earlier report published by South Asia Check based on the study of various published reports of the Department of Foreign Employment showed the number of Nepali migrated for work was 2,134 in the year 1996.

Graphic: Bikram Rai

2. Now, according to several estimates the absentee [living abroad] working age population is at least 4 million.

The National Population and Housing Census of Nepal, that is conducted every 10 years, is a reliable source to estimate the absentee population. According to the 11^th Population and Housing Census of Nepal 2011, the absentee population in 2011 was 1,921,494. This figure included not working-age population also. The absentee population number might have increased over the years. However, in the article, the writer has not mentioned any particular source/research to support the figure therefore it is hard to believe the figure.

3. Annually 100,000 students migrate for self-paid higher education.

Majority of students receive ‘No Objection Letter’ (NOC) from the Ministry of Education before going abroad.

According to the ‘Education in Figures 2017, At a Glance’ Published by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, between January 14, 2017 and March 14, 2018, a total of 67,226 no objection certificates were issued.

Therefore, the figure mentioned in Wagle’s article is not reliable.

4. There are nine universities in the country.

According to the Nepal High Level National Education Commission Report 2019, in Nepal there are 11 universities and 6 university-level health science institutes. The names of 11 universities are Tribhuvan University, Nepal Sanskrit University, Kathmandu University, Purbanchal University, Pokhara University, Lumbini Baudhha University, Agriculture and Forestry University, Mid Western University, Far Western University, Nepal Open University, Rajesh Janak University.

Therefore, the number of universities mentioned in the article is also wrong.

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