Poverty Alleviation through Education

1. Poverty Alleviation through Education A General Perspective of Nepal August, 2009 Prepared for UNESCO Conference, Penglai, China By BN Sharma General Secretary, UNESCO Associated Schools’ Resource Centre, Ktm. Nepal

2. Education in Nepal 1) Introduction: • Public or Government Sector – 70% • Private Sector – 30% • National Investment – 16.51 Aarab NRs • Pvt. Investment – 7 Aarab NRs • Govt. School Coverage – 75 districts (Primary to Secondary Level) • Pvt. School Coverage – 63 districts (Primary to Sec. Level)

3. Poverty Issues in Nepal: • Illiteracy affected – 40% population • Unskilled human resources – 60 - 70% • Movement for better jobs overseas or India – 40% • Landless population 10% • Dual ownership of land 20 - 30% of the total public owned land • Lack of modern means of farming eventhough Nepal is basically an agragarian country

4. Educational Issues in Nepal: • 11% population of school-going age still out of schools • 75% Drop out until the highschool level • 12.5% of the enrollment population admitted in class 1 Pass out of highschool level • Average Passing % in all levels: School, College & University: a) Public (govt.) – 25% b) Private – 75%

5. 16.51% of the national budget goes to Education • 90% of the expense is on Teachers’ salaries • 48,000 teachers are still required for the proper managment of public schools • Govt. Investment per child per annum: a) NRs6293 in Primary Level b) NRs3748 in Lower Sec. Level c) NRs7672 in Secondary Level * The Parents in Private schools would spend a similar average in comparision with the expense heads of the public sector • Only 3% of GDP is spent in Education while 6-7% spending is common in other countries

6. Quality Education Issues in Nepal: • The beginning of EFA and ECD Education have no doubt begun the service of quality education in the public sector since a couple of years • The Private Sector with their successful passing percent and skilled based education output has tremendously deburdened the nation • The Govt. School HMs are not quite empowered and the chief deficiency of quality rests on school management issues • The SMC has been bitterly criticised for being highly political in nature

7. Limitations of Schools: • The Public Sector: • Public schools no. In the rural areas are low • The Teacher quota is low • The budget for expense heads for public schools is absent • Opportunities of earning is sparse in rural areas of Nepal • Parents’ support programs are basically absent • Teachers are not competitive • There is a lack of support staff

8. B) The Private Sector: • Lack of support from the GOs • Lack of professional development opportunites for staff • Lack of proper & permanent physcial infrastructure (90% schools are on rented premises) • Lack of proper resources to enter the absolutely rural areas for service • Poor economic background (affordability) of the rural society • Taxation Issues

9. Recommendations: • Raising the income generation opportunities of the rural society is deemed necessary • Opportunities of Technical and Vocational skills to the SLC defeated population that is almost 55% of the registration each year (public/pvt. Partnership) • Scientific Policy for Development decentralisation • Skilled Local governance, monitoring and evaluation system • Depoliticisation of developmental plans • Declaring with commitment: Educational Institutions and children as Non-violent and Peace Zone area

10. Empowering the local management for accountability • Reduction of Corruption • Strengthening the Developmental infrastructures and basic needs of each VDC • Prioritizing the productive potentialities of the VDC • Providing a networking of Communication and Transport for the local productions

11. Thankyou for your active participation.