Starting last academic session, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has been implementing “Book-Free Friday” in community schools, aiming to impart skills to students.

Nearly two years later, the metropolis has hosted the “Kathmandu Education Fair”, where students showcase the skills they have learnt so far. Through the fair that commenced on Friday, the visitors can get information on the ongoing programmes related to the improvement of the educational quality the metropolis has enforced.

Thirty-five different stalls of students have been set up for the demonstrations, which include providing techniques to learn the Nepal Bhasha and performances of indigenous music and singing. Nepal Bhasha (Newari language) is compulsory in the schools under the KMC.

On the first day, the students from Vishwa Niketan School demonstrated their yoga skills, followed by a presentation by Navajagriti School on disaster risk reduction. Students from Geetamata School performed acts on the house, environmental cleanliness, and plant care.

Janajagriti Gyan Rashmi School’s children presented traffic rules to follow by pedestrians. At the same time, students from Bansbari School demonstrated the emergency rescue techniques performed by scouts during accidents.

Students from the Central Deaf School performed dances. Additionally, the students exhibited their skills and talents in fashion design, cooking, beauty care, and painting.

Speaking at the inauguration, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol said that quality education is a priority for the metropolis, and it can be delivered through education that enables individuals to earn a livelihood. She emphasised that the skills imparted to children from an early age would help them sustain themselves in the future, adding that students in Kathmandu have proven that bookish knowledge is insufficient.

“Initially, we received more criticism than appreciation for our initiative to promote skill-based education. Many said it would be ineffective,” she said. But the programme has proven itself, she added.

On the second day of the event, the students will exhibit water quality testing and technology-based techniques. More than 1,000 sketches and sculptures created by students are also on display. The fair will also feature activities related to the Teacher College programme, the exchange of best practices for improving results, and an opportunity to learn about the city’s educational activities.

Municipal officials said the fair was the first of the three-phase programme to showcase the KMC’s skill-based learning initiative. For the second phase, the metropolis has planned a school visit programme where interested people can tour community schools that effectively implement the skill-based education initiative.

The third phase will involve a roundtable to discuss the latest dimensions of educational activities.

There are 87 community schools within the Kathmandu metropolitan area, with 61,329 students, and 524 private schools, with 210,934 students, totalling 272,263 students, as per the municipal data.