The ICA-AP Committee on Cooperatives in Educational Institutions (ICEI) with support from the ICA-EU Partnership organised its 11th annual meeting and the International Seminar on Curriculum Development for Cooperative Education on November 25-26, 2019 in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was organised in collaboration with the National Cooperative Development Board, Department of Cooperatives, National Cooperative Federation Ltd., Nepal Central Agriculture Cooperative Union Ltd., Nepal Central Multipurpose Cooperative Union Ltd., National Cooperative Bank Ltd., and Nepal Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd.
The program was inaugurated by Hon. Minister Madam Padma Kumari Aryal, Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Nepal, who during her welcome address noted that, “The Cooperative Policy 2012 of Nepal seeks to promote cooperative education at secondary, higher secondary and higher education level. Formal cooperative education can create self-employment opportunities by attracting young manpower to cooperatives and also by expanding business, which will make the cooperative sector more competitive, capable and professional.” The program was attended by 22 international delegates from six countries and over 50 local Nepalese stakeholders including government officials, university faculty, Ph.D. scholars, and cooperators.
(L-R) Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP, Mr. Keshav Prasad Badal, Chairman, NCF, Dr. Mohd. Azlan Yahya, Chairperson, ICEI, Mr. Dakhsya Paudel, Co-Chairman, NCDB & Mr. C. Bahadur Parajuli, Member secretary, NCDB
Nepal is currently involved in developing a globally compatible, high quality curriculum to facilitate formal education in cooperatives. The seminar was aimed at sharing international curriculum on cooperative education by ICEI committee members. Many of the members are senior faculty members of universities/colleges with experience in developing curriculum and teaching in areas related to cooperatives. Insights on school and university curriculum on cooperative education were shared by Dr. Mohd. Azlan Yahya (ANGKASA, Malaysia), Mr. Shinichi Maita (NFUCA, Japan), Prof. Zenaida Diola (MMAFECCO, Philippines), and Dr. Y. Dongre (University of Mysore, India). This was followed by a brief session on how campus cooperatives serve as a centre for practical learning and a few successful cases were shared by Mr. Huat (SNCF, Singapore), Mr. Ojima and Mr. Yazama (Students representing NFUCA, Japan), and Mr. Delmo (Eskwela Kooeratiba, Philippines). The seminar also looked at understanding the needs, vision and current status of curriculum development on formal education on cooperatives in Nepal; sessions that were taken by speakers from the National Cooperative Federation and Tribhuvan University.
Hon. Minister Madam Padma Kumari Aryal (center in pink) surrounded by the seminar’s participants and speakers.
The meeting and seminar concluded by participants sharing inputs that will be help shape the curriculum that is currently under way in Nepal and suggestions on strengthening the work pursued by the committee on promoting cooperatives in educational institutions. New members from Rah-e-Roshd (Iran) and Zhijiang Institue of Economics and Trade (China) were welcomed to the committee and activities for 2020 were finalized by the members.
About ICEI
The ICEI is one of the sectoral committees of ICA-AP, focused on the promotion and development of cooperatives in educational institutions. The Asia and Pacific region has cooperatives within the campuses of schools, colleges and universities, where the students, teachers and staff are its members. These cooperatives provide the necessary goods and services to the campus community, and at the same time, promotes cooperative culture and leadership development among students. At present, individuals from 12 countries are members of ICEI.
For queries and membership to ICEI, kindly contact simren.singh@icaap.coop.
