Skill Matters A Lot

Photo credit: The Rising Nepal Swaansh Mahat

Mon, 12 October 2026

Photo credit: The Rising Nepal Swaansh Mahat

Mon, 12 October 2026

A certificate may say that a student has completed a course, but it says little about whether that student can use what was learned. This is not an argument against certificates. They matter when applying for jobs, scholarships and further study. The problem begins when collecting them becomes a substitute for practising a skill. Across Nepal, short courses promise useful training in computing, communication, accounting, language and many other subjects. Some are carefully taught. Others may give learners too little time to practise. A student can leave with a printed certificate and still hesitate when asked to prepare a spreadsheet, write a formal email or explain a basic calculation. The paper is real; the confidence is not.

Young people often carry the burden of this gap. They pay course fees, arrange transport and make time around college or work. Families may see another certificate as evidence of progress. 

Employers, meanwhile, want someone who can complete a task without constant supervision. When the two expectations do not meet, the learner is left wondering what the course actually provided.