FECON Completed 15th Annual General Meeting, Discusses Legal Framework and Management of Educational Consultancy Sector

EDUCAST, The 15th Annual General Meeting of the Free Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal (FECON), the umbrella organization for Nepal’s educational consultancy sector, was successfully held on Saturday in Kathmandu. The event brought together stakeholders from the education consultancy industry to discuss current challenges, legal complexities, and future strategies for a well-regulated and professional sector.

The meeting was chaired by FECON President Umesh Kushwar, with Semantha Koirala, Head of the Educational Consultancy Certification Division under the Ministry of Education, as the chief guest. Distinguished participants included Lisa Choegyal, Honorary Consul of New Zealand to Nepal; Neerajan Gauli, Honorary Consul of Victoria, Australia; Narayan Prasad Mainali, former Consul in New York and FECON Advisor; Mahesh Dahal, former Ambassador to Australia; Rudra Sharma, Chief of Social Development Division, Bagmati Province; and Prof. Dr.  Khembandhu Koirala, former Assistant Dean at Tribhuvan University and FECON Advisor.

Representatives from IDP, British Council, various umbrella organizations, educational institutions, partner agencies, and FECON member consultants were also present in significant numbers, highlighting the importance of the event for the sector.

During the meeting, Senior Vice President Chhabindra Ojha reviewed FECON’s journey since its inception, stressing the urgent need for a clear legal framework and proper operational oversight, as the consultancy sector has often faced regulatory gaps. General Secretary Dipendra Pokhrel highlighted FECON’s initiatives aimed at making Nepal a “hub for educational consultancy” and appealed to stakeholders for constructive suggestions and collaboration.

Speakers acknowledged FECON’s 15-year contribution toward professionalizing and organizing the educational consultancy sector. Outgoing President Raju Niraula noted that government indifference has created challenges for consultants and called on authorities to differentiate between licensed and unlicensed institutions, ensuring that law-abiding consultants are not unfairly tarnished.

Lisa Choegyal, Honorary Consul of New Zealand to Nepal, praised the historical ties between Nepal and New Zealand and stressed the importance of attracting more Nepali students to study in New Zealand. She also reaffirmed her commitment to continuous dialogue and collaboration with FECON.

Chief guest Semantha Koirala acknowledged delays in legislation and the lack of coordination between the three tiers of government, which have contributed to operational challenges in the sector. He confirmed that processes are underway to identify institutions operating without proper licenses, and enforcement action will be taken once renewal periods expire.

President Umesh Kushwar concluded the event by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of the AGM. He reaffirmed the commitment of FECON’s executive committee to strengthen, organize, and make the association more effective for the benefit of all educational consultancy professionals in Nepal.

News in Nepali

फेकनको १५औँ वार्षिक साधारणसभा सम्पन्न, परामर्श व्यवसायको कानुनी ढाँचा र व्यवस्थापनमा छलफल

फेकनको १५औँ वार्षिक साधारणसभा सम्पन्न, परामर्श व्यवसायको कानुनी ढाँचा र व्यवस्थापनमा छलफल