Nepal is a country constantly exposed to earthquakes, floods, landslides, glacial hazards and other natural disasters. What does it mean to pray for protection when buildings collapse, infrastructure fails, and corruption, poor construction practices and negligence continue to put human lives at risk?
A sword cannot prevent a building from collapsing. Engineering knowledge, quality construction materials, strict enforcement of building codes and honest inspections can save lives. A mountain does not become dangerous because people worship a goddess, nor does religious worship cause a hydropower station to fail. The real issue is whether we understand the natural forces around us and take the necessary scientific, engineering and ethical measures to reduce the risks they pose.
Religious faith cannot replace sound engineering. Equally, engineering alone cannot guarantee public safety without ethical leadership, transparency, accountability and responsible governance. Himalayan communities face serious geological and climate-related hazards. Our infrastructure must be scientifically assessed, carefully designed, properly constructed and regularly maintained to withstand the environmental conditions in which it operates.
What Should We Teach the Children of Nepal?
Rather than allowing superstition and fear to shape their understanding of the natural world, we should encourage children from an early age to explore, question, experiment and discover. They need to understand the science behind earthquakes, landslides, floods and glacial hazards—not merely fear their consequences.
In the age of artificial intelligence, STEM education is far more important to Nepal’s future than simply teaching children to worship goddesses or depend on supernatural protection. Our children need Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to understand the world, solve real problems, develop new technologies and protect human lives. Cultural and religious traditions may remain part of their upbringing, but they must never replace scientific knowledge, critical thinking or evidence-based decision-making.
Nepal should introduce a Disaster Science and STEAM Education Programme for Grades 1–12 across all seven provinces, adapted to children’s ages and the hazards specific to their communities. STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics—can help children understand natural disasters, investigate their causes, design safer structures, interpret environmental data and develop innovative solutions. Artificial intelligence, sensors, satellite imagery and remote sensing can further strengthen their ability to monitor hazards and support disaster preparedness.
The objective is to ensure that every child develops the scientific understanding and critical-thinking skills needed to recognise hazards, question unsafe practices, evaluate evidence and make informed decisions.
Scientific education must also nurture integrity, compassion and civic responsibility. Children should understand that corruption, negligence and the deliberate compromise of construction standards can turn natural hazards into human tragedies.
We cannot prevent every natural disaster, but we can reduce vulnerability, strengthen infrastructure and save lives through knowledge, preparedness and responsible action. Nepal must move beyond simply responding to disasters after they occur. We must cultivate a generation that understands the science of disasters and has the knowledge, skills and ethical commitment to prevent avoidable tragedies.
Our children’s future depends not on how much they fear the forces of nature, but on how well we educate them to understand and prepare for those forces. Less fear. More scientific understanding. Less superstition. More critical thinking. Smarter technology. Stronger infrastructure. A safer Nepal. See less