Adult education has become common in many countries. It takes on many forms, ranging from formal class-based learning to self-directed learning and e-learning. A number of career specific courses such as veterinary, medical billing and coding, real estate license, bookkeeping and many more are now available to students through the Internet. Alternative education, also known as non-traditional education or educational alternative, is a broad term that may be used to refer to all forms of education outside of traditional education (for all age groups and levels of education). This may include not only forms of education designed for students with special needs (ranging from teenage pregnancy to intellectual disability), but also forms of education designed for a general audience and employing alternative educational philosophies and methods. Alternatives of the latter type are often the result of education reform and are rooted in various philosophies that are commonly fundamentally different from those of traditional compulsory education. While some have strong political, scholarly, or philosophical orientations, others are more informal associations of teachers and students dissatisfied with certain aspects of traditional education[citation needed]. These alternatives, which include charter schools, alternative schools, independent schools, and home-based learning vary widely, but often emphasize the value of small class size, close relationships between students and teachers, and a sense of community Modern education in Nepal began with the establishment of the first school in 1853. However, this school was only for the members of the ruling families and their courtiers. Schooling for the general people began only after 1951 when a popular movement ended the autocratic Rana family regime and initiated a democratic system. In the past fifty years, there has been a dramatic expansion of educational facilities in the country. As a result, adult literacy (15+) of the country was reported to be 48.2% (female: 34.6%, male: 62.2%) in the Population Census, 2001, up from about 5% in 1952/54. Beginning from about 300 schools and two colleges with about ten thousand students in 1951, there now are 26 thousand schools (including higher secondary), 415 colleges, five universities and two academies of higher studies. Altogether 5.5 million students are enrolled in those schools and colleges who are served by more than 150 thousand teachers. Despite such examples of success, there are problems and challenges. Educational management, quality, relevance, access are some of the critical issues of education in Nepal. Societal disparities based on gender, ethnicity, location, economic class, etc. are yet to be eliminated. Resource crunch has always been a problem in education. These problems have made the goal of education for all a challenge for the country. Children of pre-school age, if their parents wish, are educated in nurseries (up to 3 years) and kindergartens (up to 6-7 years). Orphans and homeless children are educated in children's homes. Pre-school educational institutions are becoming more varied: at present there are state and non-state pre-school educational institutions, kindergartens run by religious communities, kindergartens employing Montessori's Method, full-time and part-time kindergartens, etc. Initial vocational education is provided in vocational schools, Higher vocational (non-university) education is provided in colleges, adult education centres make provision for vocational training in the labour market system. Initial vocational training is obtained in vocational schools, which provide for 5 programmes at different levels. In vocational schools pupils who have not received basic general education can choose from 2 different programmes: the first programme gives an opportunity to receive only vocational training; the second programme provides both general education and vocational training In vocational schools, pupils who finished basic school can also choose from two different programmes. One of them gives an opportunity to receive only vocational training and general secondary education. In vocational schools pupils with secondary education are offered a separate programme of vocational training in accordance with their wishes.