Nepal

Allocation: US$11 million

Years: 2020-2021

Grant agent: World Bank

Key documents:

• Application and program document
• Ministry of Education COVID-19 response plan

The US$11 million grant supports:

• safeguarding access and learning for all children - especially girls and children from the most marginalized groups - by using both high tech and low tech approaches
• distance learning programs for all children through TV, radio, and the learning portal
• additional disability inclusive content (e.g. captioning, interpretation, use of images and examples that are inclusive)
• printing and distribution of learning kits for children from marginalized backgrounds with no access to technology
• free bandwidth access to the learning portal through arrangements with telecom companies and internet providers
• communication campaigns to promote the schedule of TV and radio programs; messages on the importance of education; disease prevention; and sensitization campaigns to prevent gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy
• teacher/ head-teacher professional development opportunities to address students’ learning gaps post COVID-19
• grants to schools with resource classrooms and special schools to address the education needs of children with disabilities – including remedial instruction
• grants to local governments to ensure the safe re-opening of schools in areas most affected by COVID-19.

These initiatives are based on the Ministry of Education’s COVID-19 response plan.

In late March 2020, the UNICEF office in Nepal received a GPE grant of US$70,000 to support the Ministry of Education in its response to the pandemic. The grant was used to produce and distribute self-learning packets for Grades 0 to 3.

Nepal's School Sector Development Plan (SSDP 2016-2023) focuses on improving education quality and builds on the achievements of the previous School Sector Reform Plan (2009-2016) and the Education for All Program (2004-2009).

The SSDP is a seven-year plan, supported by a pooled funding mechanism, with a joint financing arrangement between the government and 8 development partners, with high donor coordination and use of the public financial management system.

Under the federal system, the provincial and 753 local governments are responsible for basic education provision. At the federal level, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) serves as the executing agency for SSDP. A newly established Center for Education Human Resource Development is tasked with preparing annual work plans and budgets and the annual strategic implementation plans.

Nepal has made impressive gains in improving access and equity in education in recent years, demonstrated for example by the achievement of gender parity in basic and secondary education and the increase of Dalit students in schools.

Improving the quality of education is at the heart of SSDP, due to low learning levels and inequity in learning outcomes. To address this, activities include improvements in the learning environment, pedagogical practice, curriculum, textbooks and learning materials, student assessments and the examination system.

Close to 260,000 teachers work in the basic education system (public and private).

A large variety of stakeholders participate in the planning and monitoring of the SSDP, through a well-established and coordinated joint planning and review mechanism. Two joint sector reviews take place each year.