Dhruba Prasad Ghimire
Kathmandu, 18 May 2026
International development partners renewed their strong commitment to supporting the Government of Nepal and working together to raise learning outcomes for all students and reinforce the school education system.
This commitment was expressed during the School Education Sector Plan Budget Review Meeting with Minister Sasmit Pokharel. The meeting gathered government officials and development partners to review progress and discuss priorities for the future of education in Nepal.
The School Education Sector Plan is the government’s flagship program for school education, implemented through a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp). This approach fosters collaborative engagement among government institutions, development partners, and other stakeholders, setting it apart from traditional top-down models.
Its primary features promote access to quality education, advance inclusion, and enhance the resilience of Nepal’s education system through joint planning and collective accountability.
The Joint Financing Partners (JFPs)—including the European Union (EU), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Embassy of Finland, Royal Norwegian Embassy, UNICEF, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the World Bank—praised the Government of Nepal for consistently practicing transparent, evidence-based planning and strong collaboration in the education sector.
Participants emphasized that Nepal’s most pressing educational challenge is improving foundational learning for children, making this a shared and urgent priority. They recognized expanded access and inclusion, urging more efforts to ensure all students gain essential literacy, numeracy, and life skills.
The development partners welcomed the government’s decision to increase education spending to 11.11 percent of the national budget. They emphasized that investing in education is key to building human capital and opportunities for Nepal’s youth.
Partners also appreciated the Ministry of Education and Sports’ support for all 753 local governments as they prepared and approved local education plans. This initiative aims to strengthen decentralized planning and ensure more equitable and evidence-based educational development across the country.
Another important topic of discussion focused on the School Education Bill. Development partners welcomed the government’s commitment to resubmit the bill to Parliament within the current fiscal year and recognized its importance in providing a stronger legal foundation for education reform and in effectively implementing federal education policies.
The meeting also encouraged accelerating student learning by improving classroom teaching practices, strengthening teacher support, advancing assessment systems, launching remedial learning programs, and leveraging data for decision-making.
Participants underscored the need to build institutional capacity at federal, provincial, and local levels so reforms achieve meaningful improvements in learning outcomes.
Recognizing the School Education Sector Plan as a leading example of coordinated reform, the Joint Financing Partners pledged intensified support to drive improvements in quality, equity, inclusion, and resilience across Nepal’s education system.
Partners stressed the need to prepare youth for a digital future, calling for greater investment in foundational learning, critical thinking, adaptability, and digital skills.
The Joint Financing Partners expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), provincial and local governments, teachers, and all stakeholders for their continued efforts to advance quality education for every child in Nepal.
