Nepal Educational Development Trust (NEDT)
“An Initiative for change in Education in Nepal”
Why this trust?
Numerous studies (Koirala et al., 2019; Shrestha, 2022) carried out in Nepal with regards to education suggest that there has to be some systemic intervention to uplift the educational standard of Nepal. NEDT is trying to intervene in the educational system so as to optimise education in Nepal. Primarily, it:
- awards the best teaching learning ideas or projects that school teachers have used in Nepal which can be replicated by other teachers;
- compiles the quality learning resources that teachers have submitted for the award and makes it publicly available by creating an Educational Resources Repository (ERR); and
- supports Nepalese nationals with a small grant who strive to get engaged in teaching and learning financially.
The rationale for creating ERR:
By creating ERR, which comprises the 10 best educational projects shared by teachers of Nepal to NEDT annually, the repository will have 50 innovative ideas within 5 years. Therefore, in the long run, as the project ideas available in this repository are expected to be used by other teachers in Nepal, this action can gradually help teachers bring a change in their teaching and learning. Currently, in Nepal, educational stakeholders often talk about project-based learning without factoring in its practicalities; however, the reality is that neither the government or any other stakeholders have honoured and publicized the local teachers’ efforts and impactful projects carried out in their classrooms. Their best teaching and learning ideas and projects have remained within themselves as they have not been made public. Thus, NEDT would like to value these local teachers’ expertise, and make their ideas public so that those ideas will be adopted or adapted by other teachers to bring newness to their teaching and learning.
Funding:
This project is run through the funding we receive from interested people who donate small sums, such as 1 dollar to the relatively big amount they would like to donate to this trust. All well-wishers’ support is instrumental. All donations will be published on the website tri-monthly.
Collaboration:
We collaborate with Kathmandu and Tribhuvan universities who will help select the best teachers for the award. We also collaborate with local organisations that would like to volunteer for our project.
BOARD MEMBERS
Advisor
Dr Prithvi N. Shrestha is an Advisor to the Trust. He is currently Senior Lecturer in English Language and Applied Linguistics at The Open University, UK ( working since 2006). His work focuses on teacher education, academic literacy, language assessment and English medium education in South Asia including Nepal and beyond.
Trust Coordinator
Dr Sagun Shrestha is a Trust Coordinator.He is currently working as a researcher at the Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, UK. His research work covers teacher education, technology in teaching and learning and design thinking in pedagogy in Europe and South Asia including Nepal.
Education Head: Ms. Sarita Dewan, Nepal
Communications Head
Dr Keshav Malla is a communication Head of the trust. He is currently working as a Techincal training specialist in Alexion/Astrazeneca pharmaceuticals company in Ireland. He has worked in plant breeding research institutes and biopharma companies in Norway and Ireland and utilized his technical skills to improve human/plant health.
Project Repository Head
Dr Saraswati Dawadi is a research fellow at the Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University (OU), UK. Prior to starting her work at the OU, she was a teacher educator at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Her research mainly focuses on inclusion in education, girls’ empowerment, and the use of technology for teacher professional development.
Secretary: Ms. Dipa Rai, Ireland
Ms. Sheela Gautam is the NEDT Trust treasurer. She is currently completing her final year of her Doctorate in Counselling Psychology programme in Trinity College Dublin. As a trainee psychologist, her work focuses on supporting those who need psychological support in the Irish Health Service System.
Technical Advisor: Mr. Pranaw Pradhan, Ireland
Trustee: Mr. Binod Karki, Ireland
Mr. Nabaraj Koirala is the NEDT Trustee. He is a Past President and patron of Non-Resident Nepalese Association Ireland (NRNA Ireland) and Vice president of Ireland Nepal Chamber of Commerce. He is running well-known restaurant business in Ireland since 2010. He is getting involved in Nepalese community and charity work in Ireland. He is honoured by Honoured by the President Michael D Higgins in Ireland in the event organized by Embassy of Nepal, London.
Trustee: Dr. Nabin Paudel, Ireland
Trustee: Mr. Saroj Gurung, Ireland
Fundraising Advisor
Miriam Corneli, MA, LMT, is a former Senior English Language Fellow to Nepal (2013-2015) — and a long-time teacher of English as a Second Language. She has studied many other languages, and knows how challenging it can be to live or work in a foreign country. When asked how many languages she can speak, she says, “I speak five – but some of them are very rusty!” She loves to teach English in ways that are engaging, practical, and fun. She feels that learning a new language can help people open many doors and help promote world understanding. In addition to teaching students in the USA (in Wisconsin, Colorado, and California), she has taught English and trained English teachers in Taiwan, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, Korea, and Nepal. Her students have ranged in age from pre-schoolers to M.Ed students to PhD Economists — and she enjoys working with all ages and skill levels. She has been to Nepal five times and is excited about the work that NEDT is doing to uplevel the education of Nepali youth and to promote the sharing of innovative ideas among Nepalese teachers.
Should you have any questions, please contact us at nepaledt@gmail.com.
Nepal Educational Development Trust 