Singki Bhote

This article answers the question: What constitutes the concept of Integrated Curriculum ( ic ) in the Nepali basic education context? Firstly, it focuses on clarifying the key meanings and concepts of curriculum and ic to basic-level teachers, teacher educators and educational consultants and policy makers in education sector. Secondly, it analyses the historical and philosophical foundations of ic and how it has evolved within basic-level education. Thirdly, it examines dominant models of ic formulated by the Government of Nepal for the execution of ic in basic education classrooms. To address the main research question, this article adopts a narrative literature review which is appropriate for conceptual clarification and theoretical synthesis. This design includes literature, policy documents, and theoretical and historical texts. It analyses the theoretical foundations of ic to provide a more explicit concept of ic . Furthermore, this article evaluates the existing models of ic in the Nepali context. The findings reveal that ic integrates the concepts and contents to solve real-life problems and constructs the learners’ knowledge. Studies advocate holistic learning by emphasizing learner-centered, thematic model, interdisciplinary and democratic education. As synthetization of our study, we developed a model the Contextualized Model of Integrated Curriculum ( cmic ). The meaning of ic has only been articulated implicitly in policy, which may lead to misconceptions of ic . It is recommended that policymakers clarify the concept of integration explicitly, so that basic-level teachers can understand ic in meaningfully which equips the learners to live in the complex and diverse community of the 21st century.

Background: This study examines how school leaders in Indigenous-majority contexts mobilise community cultural knowledge to shape school policy and practice. It draws on culturally responsive leadership and transformative leadership theories and focuses on public schools in southern Lalitpur, Nepal, a region predominantly inhabited by the Tamang community. Although Nepal's education policies promote inclusion and the integration of local knowledge, little is known about how these commitments are enacted at the school level. Methods: A qualitative exploratory design was employed across four public schools. Data were generated from 14 participants through 6 in-depth interviews with headteachers, one assistant headteacher, and School Management Committee (SMC) chairpersons; 2 sharing circles involving eight teachers; school observations; and document analysis, including school activity records, academic calendars, codes of conduct, and local curriculum materials. Findings: The findings reveal that school leaders conceptualise local knowledge as a living system encompassing language, rituals, ecological knowledge, moral values, and community institutions. Leaders with cultural and linguistic proximity to the community build stronger trust, mediate conflicts more effectively, and involve elders and local knowledge holders in the decision-making processes. Local knowledge was integrated into the curriculum, school activities, and calendars through language instruction, cultural performances, ecological learning, and community participation. School leaders also play a critical advocacy role by translating cultural values into formal policies and negotiating with local governments. However, these efforts were constrained by examination-oriented schooling, limited resources, insufficient teacher training, language politics, inability to map local knowledge, and weak institutional support. Conclusion: The study highlights culturally responsive leadership as relational, context-sensitive, and advocacy-driven, demonstrating how school leaders function as cultural agents and policy translators. Novelty: This study provides one of the first empirical accounts of how the Indigenous Tamang community's cultural knowledge is mobilised through school leadership practices in Nepal, helping to bridge the gap between national policy rhetoric and local enactment.

Context: Early childhood education and development (ECED) is a basic foundation for human learning that plays a crucial role in shaping children's social and emotional behaviour. The ECED centres primarily focus on children's behaviour management to establish a child-friendly environment. Purpose: This article explored children's behaviour management practices in ECED classrooms. Methods: A phenomenological research design has been applied to this study. Purposively selected 5 teachers from Mahalaxmi municipality, Lalitpur, Nepal, with more than 3 years of teaching experience in ECED centres and a bachelor's degree, to explore their lived experiences in children's behaviour management. The schools were intervened by ECEC innovation in education, for teacher training and classroom management. The information was collected through in-depth interviews and classroom observations to explore the teachers' lived experiences. Results: The study revealed that teachers relied on positive reinforcement, classroom rules, routine-based management, and child-centred approaches to regulate their behavior. Collaborative strategies such as teacher-child-centred communication and emotional support were found to be effective in minimizing disruptive behaviours. However, large class sizes, limited resources, and insufficient professional training constrained the implementation of best practices. Implication: The study highlights the importance of continuous professional development for ECED teachers and the integration of developmentally appropriate, positive behaviour management strategies that provide ECED teachers with insights into children's behaviour management. Strengthening institutional support and policy frameworks can enhance classroom practices and improve behavioral and learning outcomes for young children.