Krishna Neupane is the Principal of Everest Secondary School, Butwal. Under his leadership, the School has made itself known as one of the best institution of its kind in the Western Development Region. Its students have topped SLC and Plus 2 exams, both grade XI and XII several times, and many of its schools are studying abroad, in top-seeded universities with full scholarship. Mr. Neupane shares his educational and leadership experiences with College Readers. Excerpts:

What inspired you to pursue a career in education, and how did you become a principal?

My inspiration to pursue a career in education originated along with my childhood passion in teaching and the profound impact my educators had my life as a student. As a student, I was fortunate to have remarkable teachers who sparked my curiosity, instilled a love for learning and served as a role models. Witnessing their hard work, dedication and the positive influence they had on my life inspired me to follow in their footsteps setting the goal in education. My habit mixing with students and happiness to work with them also fueled me to come in this field.

Informally, I began my career of teaching from class 8. I used to take tuition class when I was studying in class 8. After completing my graduate degree from India, formally I started teaching as a classroom teacher in Butwal since 2042 BS. Besides earning a master’s degree in education, I was equipped with comprehensive understanding of educational systems, management strategies and leadership principles. It also helps to build up necessary skills to take on administrative roles and lead school effectively.

As I progressed in my career, I got opportunity to work in administrative field in different posts. These roles allowed me to develop leadership abilities, collaborate with different stakeholders. Throughout my journey, I had continuously sought professional development opportunities, attended workshops and conferences and collaborated with experienced educators to refine my skill as an educational leader. Above all, shape me to become a principal in 2050 BS. It was a goal I had set for myself early on because I wanted to create perfect educational environment where students, teachers and the entire school community could thrive. I believe that good and strong leadership can empower teachers, foster a culture of continuous improvement and ultimately lead to better students’ achievement.

Can you describe the vision and mission of your school, and how do you plan to achieve them?

Our school’s vision is to provide dynamic learning environment that facilitates students to become goal oriented, lifelong learners, critical thinkers and compassionate global citizens. We aim to create a community where every students is inspired to reach to their full potential and make a positive impact on the world. So far as the mission of our school is concerned, it provides transformative education that nurtures academic excellence, character development and social responsibility. We are highly devoted to provide a well-rounded curriculum that promotes creativity, intellectual curiosity and the acquisition of 21st century skills. This institution has aimed to produce skilled manpower necessary manpower for governmental and non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. Finally, we want to develop this school as a research center by the best practice in teaching-learning.

Different strategies and initiatives are set to fulfill the vision and mission of our school. Innovative approaches are used in teaching and learning methods. Project-based learning is implemented in every classes to develop the skills learning by doing. You know there is a famous Chinese proverb “I hear, I forget, I see, I remember, I do, and I learn.” So, the emphasis is given here to students centered teaching learning methods.

A few strategies we adopt at ours to make our academic the best of its kind are mentioned below:

• Teaching-learning activities are based on use of ICT with modern tools and techniques.
• For the professional development of teachers, different trainings, workshops, seminars, webinars and collaboration works with national and international teachers are promoted. This task certainly helps them to be familiar with the modern methods and progress seen in the recent world and remain up-to-date with best practice in education.
• To enhance different skills and to quench the students’ thirst of knowledge different co-curricular activities are conducted. These extracurricular activities certainly ensure the well-being and holistic development of the students.
• Our school encourages the students for their strong participation with parents, local businesses and community organizations and to work in collaborations. Involvement in different community works enhances educational experience and provide students with real-world connection developing their learning outcomes.

How has your experience as a school principal evolved over the years, and what have been some of your school’s most significant achievements?

As a principal, working directly with students allowed me to understand the challenges they face, appreciate their unique strengths, and witness the tremendous growth they can achieve with proper guidance and support. I have developed a deep commitment to provide quality education nurturing the potential of every students. Becoming a principal allows me to extend that commitment and make a positive difference in the lives of even more students, teachers and boarder school community. During this journey, I identified the most critical areas for improvement and set clear, achievable goals.

I attended different relevant workshops, conferences and seminars to gain new insights, learned best practices and network with other educational leaders. Now as well, I am staying abreast of current research that focuses on leadership, educational trends, instructional strategies, professional development programs specifically tailored to educational leadership and school management. I continuously engage in self-reflection and seek feedback from my colleagues, staff and superiors.

Everest secondary school has gained remarkable achievements so far, that make us feel pride. During its thirty-seven years’ journey, it has been established as one of the best known dynamic institutions in the country in academic and extra-curricular activities as well. Twice our school has secured the 'Board First' result in SLC. Bishal Khanal in 2060 and Bibek Adhikari in 2066 have made us feel proud with their outstanding performance securing 1st position. Shanti Poudel, from the girls’ side secured the 1st position in SLC examination 2063. Similarly, in class 11 and 12 students are getting remarkable achievements. In 2071, Roshan Kshetri secured the 1st position in Western Development Region in class 11. In 2072, two students, Sabitra Poudel and Pawan Bhattarai secured 1st position in Rupahdehi district with same percentage in class 11. Likewise in the board exam of class 11 in 2076, Bhuwan Bhandari and Bibek Sapkota secured board first and board second respectively. In the same way, our student Abhishek Karna has been selected at Duke University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, with a FULL-RIDE Scholarship for his extensive interdisciplinary research and civic engagement. More than this, several students have got opportunities to get scholarship for their further study in national and international level. 

How do you prepare students to meet the demands of the 21st century workforce, and what skill and competencies do you believe are most essential for success?

Certainly it is a great challenge to prepare the students to meet the demands of the 21st century workforce. It is the era of globalization. It is important to focus on developing a range of skills and competencies that will enable them to thrive in a rapidly changing world. To make the students able to sell their skills and competencies in national and international level, we should prioritize these aspects:

• Critical thinking and problems solving
• Collaboration and team work
• Communication skills
• Digital literacy
• Adaptability and resilience
• Creativity and innovation
• Cultural competence
• Lifelong learning
• Promotion of STEAM education

What do you think would decrease the trend of students going abroad for studies and encourage them to study in Nepal?

In recent years, the trend of students going abroad for higher education is increasing rapidly. Some of them go abroad in search of better opportunities and some of them get scholarship and go there. The main problems of it are in search of quality education, lack of job opportunities and low paid job in Nepal. Government is mainly responsible for it. Government should make clear policy about it and implement it strongly. On the other hand, some of the academic institutions providing higher education are failed to make these students understand the significant and advantages of studying in Nepal. They are not able to provide the knowledge to them about the hidden treasures of Nepalese economy. Those students, who are going abroad in search of quality education, we have to convince them that nowadays different schools and colleges have invested in modern facilities, well-equipped laboratories, libraries and technology to enhance the learning experience. Students can get the quality education in a supportive and conducive environment. Some of the Nepali educational institutions have established partnership with international universities. These connections create opportunities for exchange programs, joint research initiatives and exposure to global perspectives allowing, students to gain an international outlook while studying in Nepal. Availability of quality education, job opportunities, well paid salary for qualified person, internship and networking opportunities, facilities of local scholarship and financial aid and value of contributing local community are some of the measures to encourage them to study in Nepal.

What would you suggest for the SEE result awaiting students for the wise selection of subjects and +2 schools?

First of all, I want to say best wishes for all the SEE result awaiting students. So far as the selection of the subject is concerned, most of the students choose their subjects according to their percentage or GPA. Even, most of the parents force their children to select the subject according to the GPA their children achieved. However GPA or percentage does not determine their career. This is the only means to move ahead. So, I strongly suggest all the students to select the subject of their inclination. They should select such a field where they are happy to work. On the other hand, it would be better if they select the stream which is practiced globally. Likewise, for the selection of +2, physical facility of school, past results and learning outcomes of the students, teaching-learning methods and environment of school and student-friendly environment can be some parameters.