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Introduction
Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Development (CERID) is a leading national research centre working in the field of education in Nepal. It is well dedicated to the promotion of education through educational research, training and innovative works. With the commitment of promoting quality and relevance of education, this centre was established in 1975 under the National Education Committee, Government of Nepal. Later, it became a wing of Tribhuvan University in 1979, and has been governed by the rules-regulations of the university. These days, CERID is running as an autonomous body as per the decentralization policy of the university. With this arrangement, CERID can undertake research activities solely on its own or in collaboration with national and international institutions. Overall, its activities are directed towards undertaking policy research, educational innovations and relevant issue-based studies.
Vision
CERID envisions becoming a leading educational research institution for enhancing the quality of education.
Mission statement
Goals
CERID’s Mode of Operation
The Executive Director heads this research centre who is appointed by the university. The research centre runs under CERID Management and Development Council. Under the Decentralization Regulations of the university, CERID can exercise a great deal of autonomy in undertaking research and conducting activities on its own initiative.
Broad Areas of Research and Innovation
Collaborative Relationship
CERID has undertaken various research studies in collaboration with different wings and ministries of the Government of Nepal including the National Planning Commission, Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and University Grants Commission of Nepal.
Internationally, it had established link with renowned universities such as University of Alberta (Canada), University of Massachusetts (USA), University of Liverpool (UK), National University of Educational Planning and Administration (India). CERID is in working relationship with several international agencies – namely UNESCO, UNICEF, NORAD, etc. It is a member of some network organizations like International Institute of Educational Planning (IIEP) - Paris, and Asian Network of Training and Research Institutions in Educational Planning (ANTRIEP).
CERID’s Contributions in the Past
CERID has undertaken very important research projects and innovative activities that have significantly contributed to the development of education and nation building in the context of Nepal. Some of the historically important works carried out under CERID are mentioned below.
i) Literacy Promotion Initiatives: CERID conducted an experimental project on New Approach to Adult Education Programme in the 1970s. Similarly, it undertook the World Education funded 3-year pilot project on Integrated Non-formal Education Programme – which included awareness raising as well as functional literacy.
ii) Instructional Improvement: In 1982, CERID collaborated with International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, and undertook 3 nationally important experimental projects – namely Instructional Improvement in Primary Schools (1982-86); Learning Enhancement Through Language Enrichment (1987-91); and Pre-School Education for Better Nutrition (1992-94). These undertakings became very significant in the history of Education in Nepal – as the first project provided the groundwork for implementing “Primary Education Project”; the second one provided adequate evidences and process for implementation of multilingual education in Nepal; and the third project became the base for community-based approach to holistic early childhood development in the country.
iii) Identifying Educational Barriers: With the support of World Education Inc/USA, a three-year project was conducted in the 1980s on Determinants of Participation in Rural Nepal – which aimed to identify and assess the various factors affecting the participation of children in primary school classes.
iv) Linking Non-formal Education with Income Generation: An important project was conducted in the early 1990s on Non-formal Education and Rural Income Generation for Chepang (Praja) Women and Youths, for which the prestigious ‘Raja Roy Award’ instituted by UNESCO Staff Association, Bangkok was conferred to CERID.
v) Formative Research Project (FRP): This project was started in 2001 and continued up to 2009. In the beginning, this project contributed to the second phase of Basic and Primary Education Project (BPEP II), and later on it contributed towards the implementation of Education for All (EFA) in the country. The project was undertaken with the technical support of Norway towards facilitating effective implementation of BPEP and EFA. The project was instrumental in bringing forward strategic research-based information and the process of implementation of educational reform programmes.
vi) Studies on Community Learning: Some major research studies have been undertaken on Community Learning Centres (CLCs), which include: An Assessment of CLC Operation in Nepal (2004); and A Study on Community Ownership and External Intervention for Sustainability of Community Learning Centres in Nepal (2007)– supported by UNESCO Bangkok.
vii) Evaluation Studies: CERID has done a number of evaluation studies concerning educational programmes and policies, which include: (a) UNICEF-supported Education for Girls and Women in Nepal, (b) UNESCO-supported Education for Rural Development in Seti Zone, (c) USAID-supported Radio Education Teacher Training Project, and (d) FAO-supported Nutrition Education and Vitamin A Project.
Similarly, other important studies undertaken in this connection include: Primary Education in Nepal: Progress towards Universalization (UNESCO-supported), Status of Universal Primary Education for Girls in Nepal, Mobilization of Teachers, Educators and their Organizations in Combating Child Labour, Promotion of Girls’ Education through Recruitment and Training of Female Teachers, Study on Primary School Dropouts, and so on.
viii)Survey Studies: Various educational surveys have been conducted in the past. Some important ones include: Parents’/Guardians’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Early Childhood Development and Primary Education (UNICEF-supported), Literacy Survey of Nepal (UNESCO supported), Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) survey, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene survey (UNICEF-supported), etc.
ix) Knowledge Dissemination through Publication: CERID has been playing role to disseminate knowledge and innovative ideas that bear on national educational issues and concerns. This role is visualized through the journals Education and Development in English and Bikasko Nimti Shiksha in Nepali. These journals contain articles written by reputed experts and specialists. Besides, Journal of Early Childhood Development has also been published by this centre from time to time. Useful teacher’s manuals, handbooks, pictorials, storybooks, literacy materials etc. have also been published.
x) Organizing seminars: CERID’s works are also concerned with organizing seminars and discussion events (including ‘Dialogue Sessions’) on the pertinent themes and issues of national importance. Right from the beginning of the institution in the 1970s, several such events have been organized every year. Some of such events have been organized by this institution alone, while others have been completed in partnership with Government of Nepal as well as international development partners including: UNESCO, UNICEF, Asia South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), Asian Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID), etc.
Recent Activities
The main research-related activities completed by CERID during 2013-19 are mentioned here under these main sub-headings: (i) higher education, (ii) school education, (iii) non-formal education, (iv) Nepalese language studies, (v) dialogue sessions
i) Higher education: Three studies have been completed on Nepalese higher education, entitled as: (1) A Study on Effectiveness of Engineering Education Programme Implementation; (2) Improving Students’ Learning of English Through Teacher Participation in Action Research: The Case of Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension at B.Ed. Level; and (3) A Study on Effectiveness of BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) and BIM (Bachelor of Information Management) Programme Implementation. The three studies were supported respectively by Institute of Engineering/Tribhuvan University, University Grants Commission/Nepal, and Faculty of Management/Tribhuvan University.
More recently, a study has been done by CERID entitled Research-Teaching Interface: Situation Analysis of Tribhuvan University in Nepal (FY 2074/75), which attempted to explore how far the Deans Offices, Research Centres, constituent campuses and faculties of TU are engaged in research works and making publications. In addition, CERID has successfully conducted a training on Higher Education Planning and Administration (2018-19 & 2019-20), in support of University Grants Commission/Nepal – that was conducted for the Campus Chiefs of the country. In the same way, a study on Academic Performance in Higher Education: A Study on the Factors and Issues of Student Performance in Examination (completed in 2019) has been conducted in collaboration with University Grant Commission. CERID is also working this year on Policy Framing on Pedagogy and Research Management in Social Sciences and Education: Need Analysis in Higher Education in Nepal.
ii) School Education: The project entitled Longitudinal Study on System Indicators (a part of Formative Research Project for School Sector Reform Programme) has been conducted by CERID for Department of Education (DOE), Government of Nepal every year. This project aims at identifying the changing status of school situation in several indicators including the students’ upgrading in schools. Another study entitled Baseline Survey for Promoting Safety and Security in Schools in Nepal was conducted with the support of Plan Nepal. Verification of Incentives Linked Indicators on Student Database was another project supported by Department of Education, Government of Nepal.
In the same way, a research entitled Promoting Quality Learning through Enhanced Multigrade Teaching in the Asia and Pacific was undertaken with the support of UNESCO Kathmandu. Another UNESCO-supported study was entitled Students’ Cognitive Development at Primary Level Schools of Nepal: Study on the activities and provisions for cognitive development-oriented learning. The study was undertaken to examine the current situation of children’s cognitive learning in schools at the end of primary level (grade 5), and assess how far school education is functioning to facilitate children’s cognitive learning.
A survey project supported by Department of Education/MOE on EMIS (Educational Management Information System) Verification has been undertaken in 2017 – in which data were collected from 16 sample districts of Nepal. The project has examined the accuracy of EMIS data reported to the higher authority (DOE) by schools.
A research project completed in FY 2074/75 in collaboration with National Examinations Board (NEB), Sanothimi, Bhaktpur was entitled Item Analysis of National Examinations Board Exam: A Case Study of Grade 11 – which attempted to provide basic insights on construction, standardization and administration of test items. In FY 2075-76, CERID conducted a big project for MoEST/CEHRD which was the DLIs (Disbursement Linked Indicators) Verification. As an Independent Verification Agency (IVA), CERID has been carrying out a number of verification researches under ‘DLIs verification’ in the areas that the Government of Nepal has implemented various intervention activities under the framework of School Sector Development Plan (SSDP). This project is being run under CERID from 2018-19 throughout 2019-20 and 2020-21.
iii) Non-formal Education: With the support of Non-formal Education Centre (Ministry of Education), the project of preparing an Inventory of Non-formal Education Providers in Nepal was completed. In the Inventory, database of the NFE providers has been prepared that included the national as well as international agencies working for NFE promotion in Nepal. Another project supported by Non-formal Education Centre was entitled Mid-term Evaluation of Literacy and Livelihood Skill Development Project for Conflict Affected Women and Children.
(iv) Nepalese Language Studies: A study entitled Language shift in Nepal: A general study was undertaken in the fiscal year 2074/75, in collaboration with the Language Commission. This study has drawn some findings regarding how languages in Nepal are facing shift under the influence of media, market and migration. And, it has also explored how language shift is apparent across the generations. On this theme, another study has recently been conducted on Media Effects on Interlingual Shift: A Study on the Languages of Nepal (FY 2075/76). This study has shown how media influence is shaping interlingual shift in the languages of Nepal.
(v) Dialogue Sessions: A series of dialogue sessions has been organized in CERID on Youth and Uncertainty in Nepal (FY 2075/76), in collaboration with Action Aid Nepal. These dialogue sessions are being conducted and communicated to the concerned stakeholders including researchers, university teachers and students, policy makers and other interested people.
Documentation
CERID has a library with 10716 books, 134 journals in the relevant academic areas, and 1300 research reports in the field of education. The main areas covered in this collection include educational policies, research methodology, teaching and pedagogy, science, economics, political science, language, environment, ecology, chemistry, physics, culture and religion.
Human Resource
Working with the rules-regulations of Tribhuvan University, CERID has a group of well recognized and experienced faculty members having expertise in various areas of education. The faculty members are as listed below.
Executive Director
Prof. Surendra Giri, Ph D (Health Education)
Researchers
Besides, CERID has a pool of experts in several specialization areas - including Early Childhood Education, Special Needs Education, Curriculum, Mathematics Education, Science Education, ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Education, Social Study, and so on. The pool of experts includes the human resources that can work in educational surveys, policy research as well as intervention studies. Rosters are built involving these experts from Tribhuvan University; and CERID makes arrangement to seek their service as required.
Prof. Surendra Giri, PhD
Executive Director
CERID, TU
Balkhu, kathmandu, Nepal
Phone No. 01-4286732
P.O.BoX: 2161
Email: director@cerid.tu.edu.np
Website: http://www.cerid.org
