Lalitpur – President Ram Chandra Paudel has called for an education system that develops responsible citizens with knowledge, character, national identity and social responsibility, stressing that education must go beyond examination results and academic certificates.
Addressing the 75th anniversary celebration of St. Xavier’s School, Godavari and Jawalakhel, held at the school’s Jawalakhel premises in Lalitpur on Saturday, President Paudel said education should help individuals become aware of and responsible towards their society, culture, history and nation.
“The true purpose of education is not limited to achieving good results in examinations or obtaining certificates. Education is a powerful medium for developing an individual’s knowledge, wisdom, character and sense of responsibility,” he said.
Paudel emphasized that Nepal’s educational system should respect the country’s rich diversity of languages, cultures, traditions and lifestyles while fostering national unity, social harmony and coexistence among students.
Although society and technology continue to change, he said, fundamental human values must be strengthened alongside these developments.
Highlighting the importance of education in an era of rapid technological advancement, the president said the educational system must address what kind of nation Nepal wants to build and what skills and human resources it will need in the future.
He stressed the need for effective use of technology, alongside curricula and teaching methods suited to contemporary needs.
According to Paudel, education should produce not only knowledgeable and skilled individuals but also citizens who demonstrate ethics, discipline, creativity, cooperation, compassion and social responsibility.
He also called for education that promotes patriotism by encouraging domestic production and employment, supporting import substitution and expanding exports.
Creating opportunities for production and employment within the country, he said, should be an important part of an education system that prepares citizens to contribute to national development.
The anniversary celebration was held under the theme “Live for God, Lead for Nepal.” The programme featured instrumental music and cultural dance performances by students, including Sorathi and Dafa Naach, as well as a drama titled “The Dawn of St. Xavier’s School.”
The school honoured staff members who had completed 25 years or more of service and students from its first graduating batch. The programme also included a welcome address by Principal Fr. Leo Alphonse Raj, S.J., and a souvenir presentation to the president.
The celebration brought together school officials, alumni, invited guests and representatives of the Graduates’ Association of St. Xavier’s. It concluded with a vote of thanks by Fr. Vijay Pratap Toppo, S.J., principal of St. Xavier’s School, Godavari.
