KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 5Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Education Planners representing all seven provinces plus Kathmandu Metropolitan City are participating in a consultative workshop, jointly organized by UNESCO Nepal and the Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) from 4-6 October. Teachers' protest enters second day in Kathmandu, disrupts city traffic 'Inclusive education for all to realise SDGs' According to the statement issued by UNESCO Nepal, the workshop aims to equip and enhance the representatives' capabilities to integrate Media and Information Literacy (MIL) into Local Education Plans.

In facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration, it aims to elevate the quality and relevance of education in Nepal.Representatives from Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Rautamai Rural Municipality, Sahidnagar Municipality, Raksirang Rural Municipality, Dharche Rural Municipality, Bansghadi Municipality, Chandanath Municipality, and Mahakali Municipality will share their experiences and insights on their Local Education Plan developed through technical support from UNESCO, the statement reads Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sushila Simkhada, Social Development Minister of Gandaki Province stated that the education plans crafted by the federal government play a vital role in guiding the nation towards educational development."Recognizing this, it becomes evident that collaboration among all three levels of government is essential in shaping these plans.

When the three levels of education plans are developed and advanced together, it fosters interrelatedness, establishing the anticipated objectives as practical, actionable and attainable," said the Minister.As stipulated by the constitution, the federal government has the responsibility to formulate education plans, policies, and frameworks in alignment with its commitment to international standards and guidelines.

Nevertheless, as Nepal shifts towards a federal system, local governments now possess executive authority to introduce plans, policies and programmes to regulate education at the local level.Sunita Dangol, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, in chairing the opening session noted the alarming statistic that 58% of children in the 8-12 age group are exposed to cyber risks, including cyberbullying, hate speech and online sexual abuse.

"Children find themselves on the frontline of these risks, yet they often lack the skills to fact-check or critically analyze information acquired through digital media.

This creates fertile ground for the propagation of mis/disinformation.""School provides an ideal platform to educate these children in Media and Information Literacy.

Thus, the need to integrate MIL into our education plans is evident as they help our children to become responsible consumers of content and potential content creators in the future," said Deputy Mayor Dangol.Against this backdrop, the three-day consultative workshop aims to enable local governments to enact dedicated measures within both the schools and community to equip students with the essential skills needed to critically engage with media and information in the digital age.Drawing an analogy to the COVID pandemic and the "infodemic" of disinformation and hate speech, Michael Croft, UNESCO Representative to Nepal emphasized that, "While MIL can't stop disinformation and hate in all cases, like a vaccine, it can lessen their impact by helping people be responsible users and creators of social media material."UNESCO remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing the capacities of stakeholders at all levels in Nepal including the local levels, to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, in alignment with the SDG4: Quality Education."Through the Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Literacy Programme, UNESCO assisted local government bodies from all seven provinces of Nepal to formulate a gender responsive and inclusive education plan last year.

Building upon this progress, this workshop's focus lies in the implementation phase while concurrently establishing strategies to foster a safe and inclusive learning environment, one that is resistant to mis/disinformation and hate speech," UNESCO Nepal said. .

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