Globalization and Regionalization of Education

Agenda for Education
 World is moving at a faster pace then ever in the 21st Century. The Word Globalization possess multi dimensional aspects and meaning to different people from various parts of the world. Terrorism has become the most deadly enemy in any part of the world. The World economy is expanding beyond barriers. There are different views on globalization as to some individuals it always means a Cynic .Some people believe it to be a mechanism to enrich poor towards the access to various resources of this world.

 The Globalization puts on synergy to the fostering of economy of least developed countries in sense it has increased cut throat competition bless by rapid growth & development in the media and the information technology sector. And Certainly the understanding level of mass of population have increased dramatically , the cultural diversification has narrowed and has left any gaps between people of different countries to share knowledge and helps to contribute in the mankind in general. We certainly not only share pizzas huts but also professionalism needed in the 21st century. A Great opportunity to evolve our self in the research & development with immense participation of people from different parts of the world is proven essence of Globalization.

Nations have made terrorism & poverty reduction as main agenda to fight against it globally. Transformation is what globalization has brought about to change a world to be a better place to live in. The most interesting part is that almost 75 percent of total gross domestic products are being produced by china only. Is China opting to a path to be a world next supra power. Not necessarily if some products or commodity is being produced at lower costs of production in china or some other countries, why not go for that, because resources are  always constraints. The Chinese market is dominating other market by enjoying some competitive advantageous factor such as labour, technology etc.

The immense growth of Chinese economy is awesome and admirable too. In a sense that their dedication towards working culture with general people welfare ideology is appreciable too. The lacunas and fallacy of Chinese economy is yet to be seen in the coming days. The rise of neighbouring china in such a manner definitely would motivate Nepalese citizen and must learn from Chinese counter part the diplomacy of business, even though the language is their big barriers.

Nepal lies between the two great countries and friendly neighbouring countries such as India & China, India being the dominant in the information technology sector, Chinese in the product market. What strategy does Nepal opt to? The Word strategy here not means bundle of tricks and baskets of magic rather, but it means commitment of resources & effective mobilization of it.

We Nepalese must learn professionalism from India & Chinese counterpart to excel a new market and not wait for any fate to change rather work immensely to change our fate. Even though we are at crisis at this moment, which country   & which individual did not face crisis, for e.g. India by British, Japan at the time of 2nd world war were immensely at troublesome economy, so crisis must be resolved by transforming thought in action & work to accomplish goals .The Nepalese counterpart diplomacy is to establish Regionalize cooperation between and among the neighbouring of region then only globalization fosters and it yields good results. When we talk about regionalization we so many people think that the idea of regionalize cooperation was the main agenda of SAARC region countries, yes everyone is right but have we ever thought critically that SAARC Was initiated by Late King Birendra who was great liberal diplomat and a man with a high morale and dignity, thought that the country if maintains favorable foreign relation with the other nations in the same region,  sovereignty would be enhanced and so at  the SAARC forum the country  proposal of "Peace Zone" was the Entirely focused agenda and was a major achievement in the Nepalese history  .I have to say something was done but something isn't enough things in terms of Regionalize Education. Agenda for education at the SAARC was in the dusk. So we must have systems and Mechanism to built up solid strong foundation for Agenda for Education.

SAPTA is a good move to bring about paradigm shifts in the Policy framework & fosters Regionalize Cooperation in the field of Business & finance, why not we make & start behaving as united economy but united economy does not merely means behaving like European countries under European Union models(for eg our models must have standard systems but separate identity we prefer) . The Necessary and efficient sources are to be developed,   opting the same policy to enhance a people oriented Approach to develop and fostering people.

Nepal is the most resourceful country; why not cooperate with region countries to explore new ventures. The most derogative part of Nepalese government is that it always hesitates to spend & finance on the country people education, which is a base for any sustainable economy. Unless and until people are educated no development can be dream about.

 Why not globalize education in the southern Asian region and establish huge educational centre, with cooperation from China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, where by different professors from various countries and students from diverse region meet each other shares ideas, beliefs, culture and develop attitude of brother's & sense of belongings, so that we can be leaders in the field of education, business and other sector in the years to come. I think regionalization is the beginning stage to globalization.

Establish huge study centres & common university & design contextual syllabus to attract young talents to nurture their ability, built up solid relationships among friends will be a landmark accomplishment in the overall development of region.
So the Globalization is not merely rotten apple concept only but positive actions by the leaders & policy framers may leave a long lasting impact in the overall scenario & development of Regional countries.

We have the technology, great gurus of modern 21st century .I think it’s a very high time to have initiated regionalize educational centre and the country can also be used as educational hub which is also a main agenda of this present government .The outcomes of this mission certainly heads nations closer to relative and science full study of society problem in general. This would stop the flow of money into foreign countries the impact will be seen after some years, however no development is possible at one night and a day, it’s a passions and dedication that ensures we want to accomplish. This article is just a small knock on to open the window of regionalize education for the present.

Sanjeeb Sangroula –Asst Lecturer, Kathmandu School of Law (KSL)
Mail to: kslsanjeeb9@yahoo.com

When the seven SAARC members signed the free trade agreement (SAFTA) in January 2004, there was some scepticism regarding its progress and implementation, given that SAARC itself had been mired under inter-state tensions.( Financial Express, India, 10 April 2004)
http://www.bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=97

posted 11-05-2004
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SAFTA Is On Track, But FTA...?
When the seven SAARC members signed the free trade agreement (SAFTA) in January 2004, there was some scepticism regarding its progress and implementation, given that SAARC itself had been mired under inter-state tensions.
Financial Express, India, 10 April 2004
SAFTA Is On Track, But FTA...?
The Indo-Bangla secretarial-level meet in 4-5 months is expected to iron out some problems

SHEBONTI RAY DADWAL
When the seven SAARC members signed the free trade agreement (SAFTA) in January 2004, there was some scepticism regarding its progress and implementation, given that SAARC itself had been mired under inter-state tensions. Moreover, the signing of the draft agreement had been deferred twice already, and although a preferential trade agreement (SAPTA) had been wrapped up almost 10 years ago, its implementation in terms of tariff liberalisation has been lethargic, mainly because of the adoption of the product-by-product approach. As a result, India had decided that it should negotiate bilateral FTAs with other countries and groupings, both within the region as well as outside. Subsequently, India has gone on to sign FTAs with Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand; it has also signed a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA) with Singapore in April 2003 and a draft FTA with BIMSTEC in February 2004. Now it is pursuing an FTA with Bangladesh and ASEAN.

However, now that SAFTA has been signed, there is renewed optimism that it may come into force on the designated date, i.e, January 1, 2006, given that some negotiations have already begun at different levels. For instance, the first meeting of the group of experts has already taken place, as well as one on investment promotion and protection, and developments in tourism have already taken place.
That there are enormous benefits to be reaped from the SAFTA process is undoubted. For instance, the SAARC leaders realised that openness to trade and investment among themslves alone would lead to development and make a dent on poverty and backwardness. The adoption of SAFTA, both for developing countries (India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) in seven years and the less developed countries or LDCs (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives) in 10 years would also help to bring down customs duty, promote cross-border investment and, more crucially, formalise the unofficial trade that is taking place through third countries and surreptitious channels. For instance, while current India-Bangladesh bilateral trade is around $1.2 billion, unofficial trade is almost double that figure. According to estimates cited in the South Asia Development and Cooperation Report 2004, published by Research and Information System (RIS) for the non-aligned and other developing countries, while the complete elimination of tariffs under SAFTA could increase intra-regional trade - currently around $6 billion - by 1.6 times from existing levels, the gains would largely accrue to the smaller members of SAARC as they would gain access to the relatively larger markets of the larger members.
However, despite the optimism being expressed vis-a-vis the SAFTA process, bilateral free trade agreements between India and some of its neighbours, particularly Bangladesh, are still facing problems. New Delhi had hoped that with the FTAs with Nepal and Sri Lanka having been declared a success, despite initial reservations, it could smoothen the way for a similar agreement with Dhaka.
For instance, under the India-Nepal agreement, Nepal’s exports to India have grown consecutively over the last three years, with Nepal’s central bank reporting a 32 per cent rise in total exports between 1997-98 and 1998-99, thereby allowing Nepal to register a trade surplus vis-a vis India. Moreover, a large number of joint ventures have been set up in Nepal, particularly in the garments and textiles sectors.
Similarly, following the operationalisation of the India-Sri Lanka FTA in 2000, there has been a substantial increase in bilateral trade, with Lankan exports that doubled from $71 million in 2001 to 168 million in 2002, allowing Colombo to narrow its trade deficit substantially. Indian exports to Sri Lanka, too, have increased from $604 million to $831 million within the same period.

India has also expressed its keenness in a FTA with Bangladesh, and talks on the same were begun in October 2003. Negotiations are underway to resolve the main bottlenecks such as conformity of standards, pre- and post-shipment inspections, laboratory testings and negative list items. However, while there is hope that the next secretarial level meeting to be held in four to five months would iron out some of these problems, some Bangladeshi officials feel that unless the bilateral FTA could improve on the facilities being offered under the SAFTA regime, there would be no incentives on Dhaka’s part to sign a bilateral agreement with New Delhi.
However, some informed Bangladeshi sources feel while SAFTA would be successfully implemented, an FTA with India is not likely to take place. According to them, the biggest problem was the existence of non-tariff barriers imposed on Bangladeshi goods, like cement and batteries, by India. They were sceptical of India’s commitment to free trade on the grounds that though an agreement had been arrived at five years ago on withdrawal of tariffs on several items, so far, tariff had been withdrawn on only 18 categories of items. Dhaka is also demanding that New Delhi provide Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) to it on the grounds of its LDC status. However, India has expressed some reservations on the grounds that it would then have to grant the same status to other small countries as well. Some other grievances, like refusal of work permits to Bangladeshi nationals in India, and refusal on an export outlet for its ceramic products were also expressed. According to them, since Bangladeshi exports to India comprise only $80 million of the $1.2 billion overall bilateral trade, and India being a much bigger market and economy, even if it allowed free access to almost all Bangladeshi exports, it would not really be adversely affected.

Under the circumstances, should India continue to pursue a bilateral FTA with a reluctant neighbour, even if the resultant benefits are substantial? As a trade expert put it: “The bilateral process feeds into the regional process, and a regional process feeds into the multilateral one; they are mutually reinforcing paradigms, and not exclusive of one another. If problems are being faced on the bilateral front, one should concentrate on the other fronts.”

Objectives
· To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life;
· To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potential;
· To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia;
· To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another’s problems;
· To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields;
· To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;
· To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests; and
· To cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.

http://www.sdc.gov.in/about_saarc.htm

Sanjeeb Sangroula