Yubraj Sharma is a prominent figure in Nepal who is optimistic about the country's future prosperity and the recognition of quality education provided by private educational institutions by the government. About three decades ago, he entered the education sector with high aspirations and has since been continuously striving to enhance the quality of education. Mr. Sharma is currently the Founder and President of Himalayan White House School and the Senior Vice President of HISSAN-Higher Institutions and Secondary Schools’ Association-Nepal.

Himalayan White House School follows the IB curriculum, and their aim is to introduce IBDP in the near future, which provides global leadership, research-based, and content-based education. Jeetendra Ghimire, CEO of College Readers, recently interviewed Mr. Sharma to gain insights into progressive learning.

The method of learning we employ has transitioned from conventional to progressive teaching and learning methodologies. What exactly constitutes progressive learning?

Our educational history dates back 200 years, and over time, it has evolved to meet the needs of the world and become the modern education system we have today. Progressive learning is an educational method that produces skilled human resources that can understand global civilization and guide the world towards new ways of thinking. We have experience with traditional learning methods, but progressive learning ensures lifelong progress for students. In today's digital era, skills are crucial to keep up with the constantly evolving world. While traditional education was focused on exams and degrees, progressive education focuses on making students capable of contributing to society and solving modern problems through skill-based learning. In the past, students had to rely on teachers for every bit of information, but now, progressive learning is child-centered and aims to provide students with skills required outside the classroom. We are now moving towards heutagogy, which prioritizes inquiry-based learning, and teachers determine content without textbooks. There is no fixed curriculum, and students are taught based on their needs, making it a futuristic approach to education that aims to produce human resources as per the requirements of the future. Himalayan Whitehouse School has implemented Heutagogy learning to provide a child-centered and skill-based education.

In the progressive learning method, teachers create teaching content based on the curriculum. What challenges do you see teachers facing in advancing with this learning approach?

We provide a framework for teachers to guide them in creating educational content. We have both national and global frameworks to ensure that important subjects such as literature, language, and communication are included. Teachers must be experts in their field to provide quality education to their students. Therefore, they should be effectively selected and well-trained with adequate resources. This technique empowers teachers, allowing them to make 90% of decisions in the classroom, while the school establishes the structure. Teachers, schools, students, and school culture are all interrelated. The school culture includes the mission and vision determined by the International Baccalaureate. The visions are made by the whole school community, including teachers, as they should be well-informed and involved in the decision-making process. This approach ensures that students are happy, parents are satisfied, and the school progresses.

Given the great importance of IB, how has it integrated skills, attitudes, values, culture, and technology with knowledge to ensure quality education?

There are various educational curricula in different countries around the world. One of these is the International Baccalaureate (IB), which has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, but is not the national education board of Switzerland. IB was created by a group of educators and social scientists from around the world in 1968, with the aim of providing a program for students between the ages of 16 and 18. The first IB school was opened in Geneva, and since then, IB has expanded to different parts of the world. After 15-20 years, IB evaluated the outcomes of their students and found that the skills demonstrated by their graduates were noteworthy. As a result, they decided to include primary-level students in their program. The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) provides global leadership, research-based, and content-based education, which can be seen in the performance of students. IB is followed in 160 countries because it is based on research. IB emphasizes conceptual and inquiry-based learning, rather than just grades, which helps students to develop creativity and critical thinking skills. IB has 10 learner profiles that include critical thinking, principles, balance, empathy, inquiry, research, and more. These profiles are used for the holistic development of students. I have visited the IB headquarters in Geneva, and it took time for IB to spread in Nepal.

In Nepal, a student's level is determined by their grade sheet from a 3-hour examination, and many parents still prioritize this over other factors. Do you believe that memorization and rote learning skills should be integrated into progressive learning?

In today's world, rote learning and memorization skills have lost their value. Our focus is now on inquiry-based and experimental learning. Students are encouraged to write their answers in their own words, even in board exams. Once they have reached the understanding level, they are capable of writing on their own. Both private and government schools have adapted to modern pedagogy and have different themes of teaching for students up to grade 5. As students progress to higher grades, they focus on specific subjects, such as biology and chemistry for medical fields, or math and physics for engineering. In Nepal, there are 38 subjects at the DP level, and students can choose the subjects that interest them. Students who are hardworking and capable of performing research can easily face competitive examinations. However, if we only focus on medical and engineering preparation at the school and college level, we will be stuck in traditional concepts. Schools should make students aware of future opportunities and encourage them to analyze their interests and financial background to make informed decisions about their future. Memorization can create pressure on students' minds, and students who jump into any field without proper knowledge can face depression and even suicide. In progressive learning, students are given choices, a voice, and ownership after reaching a certain age, which can lead them to a life of satisfaction.

Implementing the IB philosophy for progressive education in Nepal is costly. Can we make it more affordable?

It is possible, but it requires the efforts of the government. If the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City provides a budget of 2 billion rupees to build 10 International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in Nepal, then we will work as volunteers and bring some experts from Singapore and India to make this plan successful. We will offer our services free of cost for half of the students. This will bring a significant change to the education system and the mayor will receive huge respect for this change.

In India, the government has successfully established 30 IB schools by bringing experts from different countries for three years. Merely blaming the private education system for high costs without effective plans and policies in the education sector is not good enough. The world is progressing with AI, supercomputers, and other modern technologies, and we cannot afford to cling on to our traditional concepts if we want to connect with the world.

The immigration of students is increasing, and in my opinion, this trend is not a bad thing. Students should travel and learn, but it is important for them to return to Nepal. For that, Nepal needs to improve in all sectors.

Parents are increasingly busy and may struggle to find time for their children. What is the role of parental and community engagement in supporting students' overall development?

Parents have a duty that goes beyond just enrolling their children in school and paying their fees. They need to be regularly updated about their children's progress in school, including whether classes are running smoothly, assignments are sufficient, and report cards are satisfactory. At our school, we hold monthly parent meetings and engage with the community and government schools. We even included six government schools in our events and competitions this year.

Our students also have opportunities to visit orphanages, old age homes, and small cottage industries to help and learn about the lifestyle of people in their area. We organize blood donation programs and health camps associated with the community, as we believe it's important for students to be aware of how they can contribute to society in the future, whether through jobs, self-employment, social work, and other means.

The International Baccalaureate program places a high priority on the topic of "paying back to society" since it's crucial to contribute to our society and nation.

What message would you like to convey to parents and students?

Recently, the S.E.E. exam has been completed. As parents, we invest a lot in our children's education, and it's our goal to provide them with the best education possible, even if we have to make sacrifices. Therefore, it's our responsibility to ensure that our children are learning effectively. Schools should be affordable and accessible so that our investment in our children's education is justified. Schools should not be profit-oriented and should allocate a percentage of their earnings towards school development. Running schools should be considered a form of social work. The government should modify its policies regarding private education based on research. While the government should operate and improve public schools, it should also support the private education sector. It's important for parents to be aware of the quality of education provided by schools when making choices for their children. We need to develop our human capital, and we should be proud if our children can earn dollars in the global market. We should utilize the available resources to create skilled human resources, which will ultimately lead to prosperity in Nepal.