A policy dialogue on the draft of the Compulsory and Free Education Implementation Action Plan 2024 concluded

September 4, 2024

September 4, 2024

Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti

The Policy Research Institute has concluded a policy dialogue with the participation of experts and stakeholders to collect stakeholders’ suggestions on the draft of the Compulsory and Free Education Implementation Action Plan, 2024, prepared by the Ministry of Education Science and Technology.

Welcoming the participants at the beginning of the program, the Executive Chairman of the Institute, Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma, explained the dialogue’s justification and objective.  Baikuntha Prasad Aryal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology made a brief presentation on the arrangements made in the context of implementing the constitutional provision that education up to secondary level (Grade 12) will be free, and education up to the basic level (Grade 8) will be compulsory and free. In the dialogue, former Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Mr. Giriraj Mani Pokharel, emphasized the need to implement the Act issued in the year 2075 BS and the regulations issued in the year 2077 BS, notwithstanding some delay by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Participants emphasized a need for a clear definition of whether free education in the Action Plan would be limited to public schools or would also apply to private schools. They also said there is a need to implement measures to provide free education based on local government initiatives, the cooperation of three tiers of government, and student costs effectively. Most of the participants opined that the Act should be implemented by providing financial support at the local level, which needs more resources. The participants also emphasized the need for Nepal to select and implement suitable models learning from the models of free education in different countries.

Participants were of the view that ensuring financial resources for implementing compulsory and free education should be managed through the creation of a national-level fund based on various resources. Participants also stressed on the need to facilitate this work through coordination between the three levels of government, participation of the private sector, utilization of corporate social responsibility, implementation of arrangements such as taxes/fees, etc.

Another major suggestion from the dialogue was that the action plan should be finalized objectively by analyzing the expenditure currently being incurred for implementing compulsory and free education, the additional and transitional expenses required for its full implementation, and the costs needed for its continuation and sustainability. Also, most participants agreed that local authorities should be responsible for this work, including ensuring resources.

Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma, Executive Chairman of the Institute, thanked all the participants present in the program and said that the Institute will synthesize the suggestions from the discussion to provide feedback to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Gopal Acharya, facilitator of the program, concluded the program.

Invited guests

  1. Giriraj Mani Pokhrel (Former Minister, Government of Nepal)
  2. Prof. Dr. Min Bahadur Bista (Professor, Tribhuvan University)
  3. Khaga Raj Baral (Former Secretary, Government of Nepal)
  4. Mohan Basnet (Mayor, Dakshinkali Municipality)
  5. Ashish Shrestha (Vice President, PABSON Central Committee)
  6. Prem Kumar Rai (Chairman, PABSON District Working Committee, Kathmandu)
  7. Dr. Loknath Bhusal (Program Director, National Planning Commission)
  8. Ratna Bahadur Katuwal (Under Secretary, Suryabinayak Municipality)
  9. Baburam Gautam (Under Secretary, Tokha Municipality)
  10. Rama Khatiwada (Director, Education Training Center, Bagmati Province)
  11. Baikuntha Prasad Aryal (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology)
  12. Dr. Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai (Under Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology)
  13. Chandrakanta Bhusal (Director General, Education Quality Testing Center)
  14. Madhav Khatiwada (Asst. Professor, Kathmandu University)
  15. Jawaharlal Hamal (Head, Education Development Division, Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province)
  16. Dhruvaraj Khanal (Associate Professor, Central Department of Education, Tribhuvan University)
  17. Prof. Dr. Basudev Kafle (Professor, Tribhuvan University)
  18. Ramesh Dahal (Associate Professor, Tribhuvan University)
  19. Sudeep Kaini (Senior Correspondent, Kantipur Daily)
  20. Durga Dutta Ojha (Secretariat Member, National Association of Rural Municipalities)
  21. Bir Bahadur Khadka (Under Secretary, Tarakeshwor Municipality)
  22. Sadhuram Phuyal (Officer, Bhaktapur Municipality)
  23. Rammani Kafle (Chief Administrative Officer, Bagmati Rural Municipality)
  24. Sukdevi Rai (Officer, Budhanilkantha Municipality)
  25. Parasmani Dahal (General Secretary, National PABSON)
  26. Sujan Raj Khanal (Under Secretary, Chandragiri Municipality)
  27. Prof. Dr. Chitra Bahadur Budathoki (Dean, Faculty of Education, Tribhuvan University)
  28. Prof. Dr. Khagendra Prasai (Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, Nepal Open University)
  29. Jayaram Adhikari (Deputy Director General, Education and Human Resource Development Center)
  30. Ima Narayan Shrestha (Director General, Curriculum Development Center)
  31. Anita Lama (Deputy Mayor, Budhanilkantha Municipality)
  32. Ganesh Basnet (Bardibas Municipality)
  33. Prof. Dr. Bidyanath Koirala (Tribhuvan University)
  34. Pratigya Neupane Mishra (Program Coordinator, National Association of Rural Municipalities)

Policy Research Institute:

  1. Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma (Executive Chairman)
  2. Dr. Hari Sharma Neupane (Head, Research Department)
  3. Dr. Deepak Kumar Khadka (Head, Information and Knowledge Management Department)
  4. Dr. Mukti Ram Rijal (Senior Researcher)
  5. Dr. Giriraj Sharma (Researcher)
  6. Gopal Acharya (Analyst)
  7. Bimal Chandra Sharma (Library Management Coordinator)
  8. Jyoti Luintel (Research Intern)
  9. Sonia Basyal (Research Intern)
  10. Kanchan Gautam (Research Intern)
  11. Jenish Maharjan (Research Intern)

Please click here for the photographs of this event