title: Exploring school governance in the context of local values and political influences in Lalitpur, Nepal: A narrative inquiry

authors: Adhikari, Devendra

subjects: school governance

abstract: Nepal is a surreal land of stunning Himalayas, Eastern mystics, and human civilisation rich in
culture, traditions, and architecture. In the country, Hindu values have been predominant in
shaping people's lives, including respect for schooling education. People are keen to manage
schooling education through community effort by joining School Management Committees.
After the implementation of Nepal’s 2015 Constitution, public schools came under the
jurisdiction and management of local governments. As a local in Lalitpur, Nepal, a Hindu
believer, and a former public-school teacher and administrative assistant, I became
interested in researching how people’s local values and the influence of politics build public
school governance. My curiosity was further driven by the literature review related to
school governance in Nepal where I found limited research and scholarship of areas such as
the adoption of Hindu cultural values in school governance in secular Nepal, and the
exercise of power to bring about positive reforms in school management. I formulated the
research questions: What cultural and social values of groups and communities in Lalitpur
encourage working for school governance? How do political influences shape group and
community involvement in school governance in Lalitpur?
For my methodology, I choose narrative research, which lies within a social
constructionist worldview whereby social reality is conceived as the co-creation of human
relations and interactions. I used in-depth interviews and observations of participant
engagement related to school governance, during which I interviewed 43 participants
involved in school-communities and local governments in Lalitpur. These schools were
situated in three local government units in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas with diverse
geographies and socio-cultural settings. I developed a method of thematic analysis to
interpret the participants’ stories by referencing Localism-Eastern Philosophy and New
Public Management-Global Governance theories.
I found that Hinduism connected Nepali communities and schools through religious
sentiments and made the school environments sacred and peaceful. People’s culture of care
prepared the foundation for establishing and developing schools in Nepali communities.
This caring culture has been passed on as a philanthropic value to the present generation,
which aligns with the karma theory in Hinduism. Concerning the political influences in
school governance, exercise of power has brought knowledgeable people into SMCs to
contribute to the managerial reforms and has facilitated decentralised school governance
through local governments. Findings show that locals with conservative values and some
stakeholders in schools have misused political authority to take benefits and hinder the
growth of school education.
Decentralised education governance is a new practice in Nepal, and in 2025 the
country is in a federal transition stage. New education policies are being developed, and my
research findings support the establishment of policies that incorporate people’s values and
the exercise of political authority and power.

text: Exploring school governance in the context of local values and political influences in Lalitpur, Nepal: A narrative inquiry Nepal is a surreal land of stunning Himalayas, Eastern mystics, and human civilisation rich in
culture, traditions, and architecture. In the country, Hindu values have been predominant in
shaping people's lives, including respect for schooling education. People are keen to manage
schooling education through community effort by joining School Management Committees.
After the implementation of Nepal’s 2015 Constitution, public schools came under the
jurisdiction and management of local governments. As a local in Lalitpur, Nepal, a Hindu
believer, and a former public-school teacher and administrative assistant, I became
interested in researching how people’s local values and the influence of politics build public
school governance. My curiosity was further driven by the literature review related to
school governance in Nepal where I found limited research and scholarship of areas such as
the adoption of Hindu cultural values in school governance in secular Nepal, and the
exercise of power to bring about positive reforms in school management. I formulated the
research questions: What cultural and social values of groups and communities in Lalitpur
encourage working for school governance? How do political influences shape group and
community involvement in school governance in Lalitpur?
For my methodology, I choose narrative research, which lies within a social
constructionist worldview whereby social reality is conceived as the co-creation of human
relations and interactions. I used in-depth interviews and observations of participant
engagement related to school governance, during which I interviewed 43 participants
involved in school-communities and local governments in Lalitpur. These schools were
situated in three local government units in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas with diverse
geographies and socio-cultural settings. I developed a method of thematic analysis to
interpret the participants’ stories by referencing Localism-Eastern Philosophy and New
Public Management-Global Governance theories.
I found that Hinduism connected Nepali communities and schools through religious
sentiments and made the school environments sacred and peaceful. People’s culture of care
prepared the foundation for establishing and developing schools in Nepali communities.
This caring culture has been passed on as a philanthropic value to the present generation,
which aligns with the karma theory in Hinduism. Concerning the political influences in
school governance, exercise of power has brought knowledgeable people into SMCs to
contribute to the managerial reforms and has facilitated decentralised school governance
through local governments. Findings show that locals with conservative values and some
stakeholders in schools have misused political authority to take benefits and hinder the
growth of school education.
Decentralised education governance is a new practice in Nepal, and in 2025 the
country is in a federal transition stage. New education policies are being developed, and my
research findings support the establishment of policies that incorporate people’s values and
the exercise of political authority and power.

year: 2024

title: Evidence-based practice in Interventional Radiology: A mixed methods study exploring how evidence is incorporated into practice with a particular focus on blood glucose requirements for vascular patients with peripheral artery disease undergoing peripheral angioplasty.

authors: Linton, Delia Rose

abstract: Background: Evidence-based practice was established to align patient care with the best available evidence.  At Waikato Hospital, vascular patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty are required to have a pre-procedural blood glucose level of less than 11 mmol/L.  However, there is no guideline outlining this requirement or the underlying evidence supporting this criterion, the absence of which has led to confusion amongst staff.  This research project seeks to explore how evidence for pre-procedural blood glucose requirements for vascular patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty is incorporated into practice and how the evidence is disseminated to relevant services.
Participants: The quantitative phase reviewed the clinical records of vascular patients (n=93) who had undergone a peripheral angioplasty in the 2022 – 2023 calendar year.  Due to incomplete datasets, a total of 50 patient clinical records were included in analysis.  The qualitative phase involved interviews with health professionals (n=9) involved in the care of vascular patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty.  
Methods: This mixed-methods two-phase research project involved an initial retrospective clinical records audit of vascular patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus who had undergone a peripheral angioplasty in the 2022 – 2023 calendar year.  A regression analysis was undertaken to determine the correlation between the change in creatinine levels and (i) patient diagnoses and (ii) pre-procedural blood glucose levels.  Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with health professionals.  These interviews were analysed using a general inductive method of inquiry to identify key overarching themes. 
Findings: There was no observed statistically significant association using ANOVA between the change in creatinine levels and patient diagnoses (p=0.31) or pre-procedural blood glucose levels in vascular patients following a peripheral angioplasty (p=0.14).  Although a one-unit increase in pre-procedural blood glucose levels was observed to result in an associated increase of 3.5 mg/dL in creatinine levels, this was not statistically significant (p=0.25).  Analysis of the qualitative interview data from interviews with health professionals produced three themes relating to the implementation of evidence-based practice: (i) Dissemination of evidence; (ii) Balancing practicality with evidence in healthcare delivery; and (iii) Enhancing evidence-based practice in clinical contexts.        
Conclusion: Although the research reported a relationship between raised pre-procedure blood glucose and creatinine levels, it was not statistically significant.  More meaningful results arose, however, from the stakeholder interviews, which indicated a lack of communication and support around the rationale for the pre-procedural blood glucose cut-off value.  It appeared that such miscommunication would be absent through the investment into staff education and the development of a clinical guideline.

text: Evidence-based practice in Interventional Radiology: A mixed methods study exploring how evidence is incorporated into practice with a particular focus on blood glucose requirements for vascular patients with peripheral artery disease undergoing peripheral angioplasty. Background: Evidence-based practice was established to align patient care with the best available evidence.  At Waikato Hospital, vascular patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty are required to have a pre-procedural blood glucose level of less than 11 mmol/L.  However, there is no guideline outlining this requirement or the underlying evidence supporting this criterion, the absence of which has led to confusion amongst staff.  This research project seeks to explore how evidence for pre-procedural blood glucose requirements for vascular patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty is incorporated into practice and how the evidence is disseminated to relevant services.
Participants: The quantitative phase reviewed the clinical records of vascular patients (n=93) who had undergone a peripheral angioplasty in the 2022 – 2023 calendar year.  Due to incomplete datasets, a total of 50 patient clinical records were included in analysis.  The qualitative phase involved interviews with health professionals (n=9) involved in the care of vascular patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty.  
Methods: This mixed-methods two-phase research project involved an initial retrospective clinical records audit of vascular patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus who had undergone a peripheral angioplasty in the 2022 – 2023 calendar year.  A regression analysis was undertaken to determine the correlation between the change in creatinine levels and (i) patient diagnoses and (ii) pre-procedural blood glucose levels.  Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with health professionals.  These interviews were analysed using a general inductive method of inquiry to identify key overarching themes. 
Findings: There was no observed statistically significant association using ANOVA between the change in creatinine levels and patient diagnoses (p=0.31) or pre-procedural blood glucose levels in vascular patients following a peripheral angioplasty (p=0.14).  Although a one-unit increase in pre-procedural blood glucose levels was observed to result in an associated increase of 3.5 mg/dL in creatinine levels, this was not statistically significant (p=0.25).  Analysis of the qualitative interview data from interviews with health professionals produced three themes relating to the implementation of evidence-based practice: (i) Dissemination of evidence; (ii) Balancing practicality with evidence in healthcare delivery; and (iii) Enhancing evidence-based practice in clinical contexts.        
Conclusion: Although the research reported a relationship between raised pre-procedure blood glucose and creatinine levels, it was not statistically significant.  More meaningful results arose, however, from the stakeholder interviews, which indicated a lack of communication and support around the rationale for the pre-procedural blood glucose cut-off value.  It appeared that such miscommunication would be absent through the investment into staff education and the development of a clinical guideline.

year: 2023

title: Whaikoorero: a study of formal Maori speech

authors: Mahuta, Robert Te Kotahi

subjects: Whaikoorero

abstract: Whaikoorero is regarded as the traditionally valued mode of communication. It is the language of the marae, the language of the chiefs and elders, and the only acceptable form of public statement in the Maori world. At the same time it is an artistic form, difficult to master, and demanding long years of practice and experience.
It is true, as I have pointed out, that one can read and listen to the myths and traditions of the Maori in books, on tapes, and through radio broadcasts. Yet it is the public rendering, the synthesising of myth and tradition, the living and the dead, and the interweaving of topical matters with the beliefs and values of the society, which hold the greatest interest for the Maori. For in whaikoorero history is relived, man reaffirmed, and status gained. The dead are recalled to participate with the living in social gatherings where tradition is orally transmitted, reaffirmed and relived. These then are some of the reasons why whaikoorero persists as a literary form and as a social feature within contemporary Maori society.

text: Whaikoorero: a study of formal Maori speech Whaikoorero is regarded as the traditionally valued mode of communication. It is the language of the marae, the language of the chiefs and elders, and the only acceptable form of public statement in the Maori world. At the same time it is an artistic form, difficult to master, and demanding long years of practice and experience.
It is true, as I have pointed out, that one can read and listen to the myths and traditions of the Maori in books, on tapes, and through radio broadcasts. Yet it is the public rendering, the synthesising of myth and tradition, the living and the dead, and the interweaving of topical matters with the beliefs and values of the society, which hold the greatest interest for the Maori. For in whaikoorero history is relived, man reaffirmed, and status gained. The dead are recalled to participate with the living in social gatherings where tradition is orally transmitted, reaffirmed and relived. These then are some of the reasons why whaikoorero persists as a literary form and as a social feature within contemporary Maori society.

year: 1974