ECAN raises concern over crackdown on education consultancies, calls for fair action

KATHMANDU: The Education Consultancy Association of Nepal (ECAN) has expressed serious concern over recent monitoring, raids, arrests, and enforcement actions targeting several educational consultancy firms, stating that such measures risk unfairly criminalizing the entire sector.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, ECAN said that while isolated incidents of fraud, false promises, use of forged documents, illegal financial transactions, and exploitation of students and parents’ trust must be dealt with strictly under existing laws, it is unacceptable to generalize the actions of a few entities to discredit the whole industry.

The association emphasized that individuals or institutions involved in illegal activities should face strict, impartial, and transparent legal action.

However, it criticized the current approach of investigative and regulatory bodies, saying it could damage the reputation of legitimate institutions, harm the investment climate, and undermine Nepal’s international educational credibility.

ECAN argued that investigations should focus on individual accountability rather than portraying the entire sector as suspect.

It also urged the government to clearly distinguish between administrative shortcomings and criminal fraud, recommending that deliberate financial crimes, human trafficking-related activities, forged documentation, and embezzlement be treated as serious offenses, while administrative errors should be addressed through corrective measures.

The association further raised concerns over what it described as “media trials,” stating that public disclosure of names before allegations are legally proven violates the constitutional presumption of innocence.

Highlighting the sector’s contribution, ECAN claimed that education consultancy businesses in Nepal generate around 150,000 direct and indirect jobs and play a significant role in foreign currency earnings and human capital development.

It also pointed out that online and foreign digital education platforms remain largely unregulated, urging the government to establish a clear legal and policy framework to govern the sector effectively.

Reaffirming its stance, ECAN said that any law violation must be acted upon without bias, but warned against the criminalization of legitimate institutions and the neglect of the sector’s national contribution.

The statement, issued by ECAN General Secretary Bhavanath Humagain, expressed the association’s commitment to working with the government and stakeholders to ensure a transparent, accountable, and nationally beneficial education consultancy sector.