CENTRE FOR SELF-HELP DEVELOPMENT

Institute of micro-finance and cooperative development.

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A Unique School Grooming Students with Entrepreneurship Skills Along with Regular Study

A webinar talk (episode no. 19) on “Entrepreneurship Development among Students-An Experience of Janajyoti Higher Secondary School, A Rural School of Surkhet District” was organized by the Centre for Self-help Development (CSD) on May 23, 2022.  The webinar talk focused on initiation taken as well as some of the major activities carried out by Janajyoti Higher Secondary School in grooming young students for micro-entrepreneurship development. It also focused on prevalent ethics and working culture of the school and its students based on the concept of ‘Learn and Earn’ which has developed an effective fusion between conceptual education, practical work, income generation and overall and comprehensive education package to its students.

Mr. Narayan Sigdel, Principal of Janajyoti Higher Secondary School located in Barahatal Rural Municipality of Surkhet District, was the keynote speaker of the program. He said, “We have been exporting our youths to gulf countries. We have not been able to develop tangible link between our education and employment. If our education system were linked to skill development and employment generation there would not be a need to export our youths to foreign countries for employment. In my school we find out the interest of the students from 2nd or 3rd grade onwards and assess their capabilities to prepare a suitable environment so that they can start appropriate enterprise. This helps them to horn their skills from an early age and make them competitive and proficient in their field so that they do not have to go for job hunting after they compete their education.” He also gave suggestion to other schools to focus their students on entrepreneurship skill enhancement while they are studying in the school so that they can develop their entrepreneurship to start microenterprise after school  to curb massive imports which otherwise would bring economic instability in the country.

Mr. Sigdel also expressed satisfaction on the concept of “entrepreneurship development” along with automatic learning put forward by Janajyoti Higher Secondary School.  He further added, “We have been able to create a fund also to provide tiny loan support to the students practicing enterprise to promote the concept of ‘Learn and Earn’ culture which will assist the youths in horning their skills and turning them into capable entrepreneurs. As part of this approach, our students have developed relevant skills needed early so that they can run and manage suitable enterprise immediately after they complete higher secondary education. If our students do not have enough money to pay for the school tuition we develop platform so they learn appropriate skills as well as earn simultaneously to cover their expenses. We also coordinate with various organizations so that they do not have to remain idle after they complete their education. We have also helped those who have completed courses in agriculture and veterinary science to be self-employed. Our strategy to promote vocational courses and also involve them in income generating activities simultaneously has been a successful case and has been replicated by various other educational institutions. The Government of Nepal has also initiated ‘Learn and Earn’ concept based on our working modality in 140 schools around the country.” He said that as long as we cannot equip our human resources with suitable skills which are saleable in the market, we will not be able to uplift their socio-economic status.

Regarding coordination and partnership with microfinance institutions, he said, “Our fresh batch of students who have completed diploma in agriculture and veterinary science may have financial constraints and may not be able to initiate and run their own enterprises. Microfinance institutions can provide loans to these students to initiate agro based enterprises in their homestead so that they don’t have to wander around for seeking job abroad.”

Mr. Shankar Man Shrestha, Chairman of CSD, in his remarks said, “As part of the corporate social responsibility each microfinance institutions should take initiative to partner with one community managed school and work towards developing entrepreneurship among the students in a model similar to the one exercised by Janajyoti Higher Secondary School.”  He further added, “Our current priority should focus on providing collateral-free loan to students of Janajyoti School who have passed out and also providing on the job training to the students in their organization and use their platform to work with their members and help them upgrade their skills in various agricultural activities.”

In the interaction session Mr. Lumin Kumar Shrestha, Founder Member of CSD, Mr. Ram Chandra Joshi, Chairman of Chhimek Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd, Dr. Purushottam Shrestha, Executive Director of Centre for Rural Technology/Nepal and Mr. Dinesh Niraoula, Department Chief of Sahara SACCOs also put forward their queries and views.

A total of 189 participants from 51 different organizations comprising officials and staffs of microfinance institutions, microfinance cooperatives, community schools and non-governmental organizations participated in the webinar talk program.

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