Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Development (CERID)

Introduction

CERID has been working for the development of education in Nepal since its establishment in January 1978, especially focusing on the need for achieving academic excellence in the education system. In line with this, CERID's activities are directed towards undertaking educational innovation, issue-based research and need-based training programmes. Moreover, CERID has devoted itself to piloting innovative ideas that bear on national educational issues and concerns, and disseminating research outcomes.

Objectives

The objectives of CERID are as follows:

• To undertake research activities in various critical aspects of school and higher education;

• To carry out action research projects focused on linking education to development;

• To organize training programmes, research-based and professional development activities; and

• To disseminate and share experiences and information by organizing seminars/workshops and by publishing research reports, journals.

Scope of Work

CERID’s involvement spreads over a wide array of activities such as educational planning and management, early childhood development, primary education, secondary education, higher education, alternative forms of education, education for sustainable development, and gender and education and cross-cutting issues on education to promote quality of education in Nepal. Moreover, CERID has extended its hands to work in various areas in partnership with organizations working within and outside the country.

Human Resources

CERID has its own researchers and administrative staff. These include:

Researchers

Professors (including the Executive Director) 5

Associate Professors 4

Lecturers  3

Teaching Assistants 1

Administrative staff, support staff and utility staff 51

Publications

CERID publishes three major journals annually: Education and Development (in English), Bikasko Nimti Shiksha (in Nepali) and Journal of  Early Childhood Development (in English). Kopila (in Nepali) – a newsletter of Early Childhood Development Resources Centre is the next regular publication of CERID. Reports of researches conducted by CERID are also published every year, which are available in CERID website: http://www.cerid.org .

CERID’s Major Achievements in Recent Years

Formative Research Project (FRP) 2004-2009, which was conducted for providing technical support to the Ministry of Education by bringing forward strategic research based information on the process of implementation of Education for All (EFA) 2004-2009, was completed in July 2009. For the purpose of completing the ongoing activities, no cost extension of FRP had taken place up to October 2010. Under this extension period, 62 schools included under Longitudinal Study on System Indicators were provided with a set of computer, a UPS including battery and an additional cartridge, and the training required to operate them for managing school data. The technical and financial support for carrying out this project was provided by the Ministry of Education and Research, Norway.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) Resource Centre established at CERID with the support of UNICEF Nepal is undertaking important research activities including the publication of ECD journal and ECD newsletter since 1997.

Similarly, CERID has provided action research mini-grants to different organizations working in the field of ECD. The local researchers from each of these organizations were also provided with a week-long training on action research. CERID researchers provided continuous support to the individuals and organizations in undertaking action researches. Under the ECD Resource Centre activities, CERID is also organizing dialogue sessions on pertinent issues related to ECD in a regular manner. As an important activity of ECD Resource Centre, a team of researchers has completed a study on Content and Age Validation of Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) in 2011. The results of this study were used for finalizing the ECDS framework in Nepal.

With the financial support of UNESCO office in Kathmandu and technical support of an advisory committee (comprising the representatives from the Ministry of Education/Department of Education, UN agencies, Tribhuvan University/Faculty of Education, NGO), a research study on ECCE Practitioners' Status and Professional Development in Nepal was conducted by this centre in the year 2011. The main objective of this research was to analyze the current status and professional development of ECCE practitioners in Nepal and identify concrete options to improve the quality of ECCE.

With the support of UNESCO office in Kathmandu, a project entitled 'Transition from Primary to Secondary Education: Review of Policy Experiences in Nepal' has been completed in 2011.

With the support of UNESCO office in Kathmandu and in collaboration with the Centre Bureau of Statistics/Government of Nepal a literacy survey has been completed by this centre in 2011.

Multilingual Education Resource Centre (MLERC) has been established at CERID with the support of UNESCO offi ce in Kathmandu, Ministry of Education and Multilingual Education (MLE) academics in the year 2011. The major objectives of the MLERC are to provide academic and support for the delivery of quality education through MLE approach, technical support for planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of MLE programmes; and facilitate the coordination between different MLE programmes and the networking of MLE interest groups,institutions and individuals. The activities of MLERC include making a critical review of the commitment made by the government, find out how MLE is being practiced in different schools of the country, determine the problems and suggest solutions, analyze the impact of MLE in the children’s performance, and to find out the attitudes of the education authorities and parents towards MLE.

CERID is committed to involve itself in the development of education through conducting research on various pertinent issues and undertaking innovations and training programmes to meet the changing needs of the country.

Prof. Dr. Krishna Chandra Sharma

Executive Director

CERID TU

P.O. Box 2161, Balkhu, Kathmandu, Nepal

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: http://WWW.cerid.org