Pipalnath Lower Secondary School, Bimaicha

This school is located in a very beautiful place of Rukum district. It’s on top of a sunny hill right in front of the Sisne Mountain. About 1 hour drive will lead you to Solabang and from there you have to walk on foot for three hours. A serpentine foot-trail in a rectangular slope leads you finally to a heaven-like elevated plain land with delicious climate. The name of the place is Bimaicha and it lies in Rugha 4, Rukum.
The buildings are beautiful, well roofed and local people are working for making the ground plain. Established in 2028 BS and managed by active SMC chairperson the school has good physical infrastructure. Khum Bahadur Budhathoki, the head teacher of the school is a very hardworking person. The school has PTA and Child Club also. There are about 250 students in the primary level. Majority of the students are from Chhetri community however nearly half of the students are from Janajati followed by the students from Dalit community.
The school has not achieved good promotion rate. Last year only 41% student passed Grade 1 and the percentage for Grade 5 is almost 100%. All failed students repeat the same class. The average score of the students is also not satisfactory despite appropriate student-teacher ratio (1:40). There are 9 teachers and majority of them have passed Intermediate Level.

Bhim Kalyan Lower Secondary School, Banthakot

Nearly two hours drive and an hour walking from the district headquarters Musikot (Khalanga) led us to a small school named Bhim Kalyan Lower Secondary school. The school is located in the slope hill of Banthakot village that lies in Ward No 9 of the Muru VDC of Rukum district.
Established in 2050 BS in the land provided by a local philanthropist the school has 8 teachers including a supporting staff. The name of the head teacher is Mr. Yagya Bdr Oli and the SMC is headed by Mr. Jhuplala Oli. The school has a PTA, a Child Club and a Mother Group all working for writing the future of children through quality education. The school has nearly 330 students at primary level including an ECD class. The majority of the students are Chhetri followed by Dalit and Janajati.
The school has almost 100% promotion rate and about 60% average scores in each subject. The ground is muddy and the classes are small. The students are active in studies and interested in singing and dancing. There is a newly built toilet but without water. Water supply is available only for morning and no drinking water for the students.

Book List for JMC Library

Books on Social Science Research
Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (2002). Research in education (7th Edition ed.). New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India.√√
Corbetta, P. (2003). Social research. London: SAGE.√√
Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.). New Delhi: SAGE.√√√
Fowler, F. J. (1993). Survey Research Methods (2nd ed.). New Delhi: SAGE.√
Greene, J. C. (2007). Mixed Methods in Social Inquiry. San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.√
Haralombos, M., & Holborn, M. (1995). Sociology: themes and perspectives (4th Edition ed.). London: Collins Educational.√√
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: methods and techniques (2nd Edition ed.). New Delhi: New Age Intrnational (P) Limited.√√
Kumar, R. (1996). Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners. New Delhi: SAGE.√√
Kvale, S. (1996). An introction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousands Oaks, California : SAGE.√
Mangal, S. K. (2007). Essentials of educational psychology. New Delhi: Printice-Hall of India Private Ltd.√
Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (1998). Mixed methodology: combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. New Delhi: SAGE.√√√
Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of Mixed Method Research. London: SAGE.√√
Wengraf, T. (2001). Qualitative research interviewing. New Delhi: SAGE.√
Wiersma, W., & Jurs, S. G. (2005). Research methods in education. New York: Pearson.√√

Books on Linguistics
Brown, H. D. (1980). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching:Englewood Cliffs, N. J. Prentice Hall√√
Chomsky, N. (1972). Language and Mind. New York: Harcourt Bruce.√√
Corder, S. P. (1973). Introducing Applied Linguistics. Hardmondworth: Penguin √√√
Matthews, P. H. (1997). Oxford Concise Dictionary of Linguistics. New York: OUP.√√√
Roach, P. (2007). English Phonetics and Phonology. Cambridge: CUP.√√√
Todd, L. (1991). An Introduction to Linguistics. Essex: Longman.√√√
Yule, G. (2008). The Study of Language. Cambridge: CUP.√√√
Note: Please give preference in buying the books as indicated
Very important - √√√ Important - √√ Essential - √
Kapil Dev Regmi

Many Days Past without writing

The end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 were spent in Rukum, Dang and Salyan, where I visited as a consultant with Mr. Yoga Raj Pokharel. We went for field data collection for evaluating the Rewrite the Future Program of Save the Childre. I will write in detail when I complete writing the report.

Some Words to Know

Mesmerize - to hypnotize, dazzle and control
Ravish - to transport with joy or delight or force to have sex without one's will
Woe - grief, sorrow, misery, heavy calamity
Propensity - bias, bent, tendency
Aphorism - general truth expressed in concise saying
Deterent - that which prevents or deters
Sluice - an opening or channel through which anything flow
Wary - cautious, apprehensive, guarding against danger
Detriment - that which injuries or cause damage, michief or harm
Philstine - a person deficient in liberal culural refinement
Embellish - to decorate or make beautiful
Quibble - to raise an insignificient point
Abut - to border, be contagious, to meet
Encumbered - burdened, weighed down
Eddy - a current of water or air moving in a circular direction
Asperity - harshness, roughness of temper
Bequest - that which is left by will, esp. personal property
Restitution - a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
Strop - a piece of leather used for sharpening
Fulminate - to make a loud, sudden noise, to send forth decrees with force or authority
Repugnant - hostile, disposed to war, offensive
Anhedonic - unable to experience pleasure
Diminutive - below the average size, very small, little
Lustrous - shining (particularly from reflected light), glittering, bright
Languid - dropping or flagging from exhaustion, weak, without animation
Unsullied - unspoiled, pure
Inebraited - drunk
Scurrilous - using indecent language, offensive
Discombobulated - confused, and may be a little upset
Wizened - dried, shriveled, withered
Desist - to cease to proceed or act to stop
Emaciate - to become or to cause to become very thin
Bastion - a fortified place
Welter - to rise and fall as waves, to tumble over
Lurk - to lie in wait, to keep out of sight
Argot - Jargon, lingo, the lg of a particular class, register

Enhancing the Department of English

Some Strategies for Enhancing the Department of English of
Janamaitri Multiple Campus

Strategy 1
Make all teachers accessible to modern technology (ICTs), especially to the computer and the Internet.
For this:
- Email Id
- Use of Email and the use various required websites such websites for e-discussion
- Introduction to the websites useful for teachers
- Discussion on the use of Internet for developing teachers competence

Strategy 2
Encourage all teachers to be researchers
For this:
- Habit of reading and writing before teaching
- Habit of reading and writing after teaching
- Encourage for research oriented teaching
- Motivate for research oriented writing
- Training on research methodology
· Institutions that provide grants for faculty/fresh researchers
· Institutions that publish research articles/findings

Strategy 3

English language training for teachers

For this:
- Use of ICTs, especially computer and Internet for enhancing English language for teachers
- Introduction/approach to the institutions that provide training to teachers
· British Council
· NELTA
- Encourage/facilitate teachers to be trainers
· Encourage/opportune to be trainee first

Strategy 4
English language training for students
For this:
- Co-curricular activities for improving English
· Written activities
· Spoken activities
- English language training package for students
· Seasonal training package (Winter, Summer, Spring …)
· Session training package (Pre-session, While-session, Post-session)
1. Form a committee of teachers
2. Prepare training materials
3. Devise training package for different levels
- Decide by giving placement tests and enrollment level of the students
- Make students familiar with ICTs and use of them for improving English
- Introduce how to practice English using commercial software such as CDs of TOEFL and GRE


Materials and support

- A separate room
- A computer (laptop if possible) and a projector which can be of the Campus belonging to all the Departments
- Some books
- Facility for printing and Xeroxing
- A hall for making presentations and conducting trainings
- Full moral and academic support from campus administration with trust and confidence

not the man to be spared and neglectd

I have told you earlier that
One day you will recognize me
you will find me who am i
know my caliber and understand
my immaculate professionalism

you became so foolish
and even today i am not sure
that you have understood the things
you have been like i am
but at least you have now
realized that i am not a man
to be spared, to be neglected
i am not the man to be compared
with many who were not
of my kind, all like you
who have the upbringings
in sychophancy, bootlicking and
all lived for themselves and never
for other, never for the society
I also live for myself but you know
there is self inside me
an inspiration inside me
that makes me that is not
me as you have seen
there lives a great soul
with extreme ambition
and enthusiasm that never
atrophies, never exhausts and
that never gives up when all
altruist and scholars give up
because of the people like you
my soul waits for the day when
your soul recognizes mine and
your habit of bootlicking turns into
me and you start to sing my song
and i don't receive your praise happily
but with comments and makes you realize
that you and me are same
you and others whom you toaded yesterday
are the same like you
all people born with enough potential
to be great persons but some
become like you and some become
like me but at the end all become same
whent environemnt conducive like this
emerges automatically and you realize
that i am not the man
to be spared and to be neglected

I received MPhil Convocation

On 23rd of October 2009 I received MPhil award conferred by Kathmandu University, Nepal on completion of the course prescribed by the University and dissertation entitled Recognition, Accreditation, and Vlidation of Non-formal and Informal Learning: Prospects for Lifelong Learning in Nepal.

Vijaya Dashami, 2066

I celebrated this Dashain more happily than ever. I reached home on September 25. The first day of Dashain i.e. Mahastami was on October 26. I was happy with my father, mother, spouse, and daughters. We stayed at home shared happiness and took delicious food items.

On the third day i.e. Vijaya Dashami all of the family members received tika and Jamara from their respective seniors. I received them from my father, mother, thuldai, thulivauju, maildai, mailivauju, uncle and aunt. I granted tika and Jamara to Laxmi, Bishu, Rishav, Sakuntala, Bhupendra, Sanubhai, Sadikshya, Samikshya, Parbati, Krishna, Sushila, Gautam, Rabindra, etc. I got a lot of blessings from my seniors. That was a very important day for me.

On the next day of Dashami we went to Aaru to the house of my in-laws. I received tika from all the members thir, shared happiness and took delicious food items.

Next day leaving our beloved daughters to their maternal home Laxmi and me came to Kathmandu.

September 9 to October 1

It has been a month that I have not blogged any of the activities that went on from september 12, 2009. Perhaps the most important achievements of my life have gaken place in those days.
On September 9
Department of English Education, Janamaitri Multiple Campus called a meeting at 8AM. Almost all of the members of the Department including campus chief Mr. Bhola Nath Ojha and HOD Baburam Bhusal were present in the meeting. The meeting focused on how to make the Department more effective, efficient and better respossile for the overall development of the campus.
Mr. Ojha, the campus chief congratulated me for my contribution to achieve an outstanding result of the examination of B. Ed. 1st year. All the students had passed the examination given by Tribhuvan University with excellent scores.
That was the first meeting that I agreed with the HOD and the HOD agreed with me. Perhaps, that was one of the incidences in the history of the Depatment that we two came in consensus. All the members of the Department were happy and committed to do someting for the identity and influence in the Campus.
On September 10
Janamaitri Multiple Campus had called all the teachers for Happiness Sharing programme on tha auspcious occasion of Vijaya Dashami 2066. We went early in the morning for, however, there were no program as such. Just something were being cooked in the canteen. Actually the teachers didn't know why they were being called. However, we talked and shared our best wishes individually and returned to the respective residence taking a plate of beaten rice and meat as breakfast. But I was planning to go to KUSOED to meet my Dissertation Supervisor. Bhaktiram Ghimire sir gave me a lift and I reaced at KUSOED at 10 AM.
As soon as I reached KUSOED I read the notices. With a great surprise and sad I came to know that the time for my convocation was already fixed for October 23 and the one who wouldn't be able to have their dissertation submitted to Dhulikhel (the Controller of Examinations, KU) by October 9 wouldn't be able to take part in the convocation. I regreted for the intentional delay I had made during this year. Had I been little concious about that I would have defensed viva-voce two months earlier. But I didn't do. Tanka sir encouraged me to do even better, go deeper and deeper, but the time has already been .... Sadenned with the notice I met Prof. Shreeram Prasad Lamichhane. He read just the contents of the dissertation I had prepared to that date. I had expected that he would read the report and would provide me suggestions so that I could improve them so as to make that as final draft. Nevertheless, I was happy since he gave me some constructive suggestions to make the dissertation report coherent and logical.
Then I came back and started to work day and night. I wrote and wrote, typed and typed until and unless I became completely chilled inside my chest. I used to go to the be laid down but I couldb't sleep because my chest was burning and the brain was pushing me to work.
With the corrections made according to his suggestions and giving the final touch to the report from my side I met him the next time. He made a cursory look to the report and made some important corrections. Gave some suggestions to standardize, especially the language. But finally he said that it was impossible to have viva before October 9 and I couldn't be able to take part in the convocation of KU scheduled to be held on 23 October.
On September 20
I phoned Prof. Tanka Nath Sharma early in the morning and requested to manage time and provide me the opportunity to be an awarde of my degree by letting me to take part in the convocation. He became so angry at first and made an outright "No" because it was too late to do everything. But his kind heart softened and he let me explained my obligations and compulsions. He said at the end that there was a little chance and he would try his best to schedule the date of my Viva immediately after the Dashain vacation.
Then I phoned Prof. Shreeram Lamichhane and narrated the conversation I had made with Prof. Sharma.
On September 22
Though the vacation for Dashain was alreaded commenced, I had made a hearty request to Professor Lamichhane to provide me some times so that I could bring my endevours to the fruition on time. He came to KUSOED and we discussed nearly one and half hour. He appreciated to the efforts I have made to write the dissertation report. He happily said ....would like to take PhD out of it..... you have written so beautifully ...... you have to make a monograph and give it to UNESCO to publish.... etc. Finally he said that they were happy to receive such a dissertation from me. They would try their best to have my viva defensed before October 9.
Then I came to my residence and corrected, added, deleted ... and made a final copy to be submitted to the external examiner.
On September 23
Having all the preparations completed I was about to leave Kathmandu valley on September 24 for the celebrations of Dasahin. My better-half Laxmi was waiting for the arrival of my day. I did some shopping and went to the nearby cyber for checking emails.
As soon as I opened the inbox I saw an email from Manjula, an officer in South Asian University. The subject was an Offer of Appointment. I was overwhelmed and flooded with happincess. It was a really an appointment letter from the CEO Prof. G. K. Chadha. I went through the terms and conditions and became extremely glad. That was the most important achievment of my life. I found the pray of my father the affection of my mother, the wishes of my father in law and mother in law, love of my beloved wife and the aspirations of all of my best friends and relatives have come true. That was the day I realized that my hardwork and intelligence being fully accounted. From a part time teacher at Janamaitri I had been able to achieve the post of Project Associate (Academics and Documentations) of the prestigious SAARC University. A teacher had turned into a curriculum developer and an academic learder of the SAARC region that includes, not one but, 8 countries of the South Asia.
I shared my happiness with all whom I could contact by phone. I told to Laxmi, Sandai, my father ..... etc.
Then the next day I wrote an acceptance letter to Prof. Chadha and left Kathmandu for the celebration of Dashain.