Kathmandu, Sept 21: Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel, has said the government has immediate to long-term plans for the continuity of education in the floods-affected areas. Such initiatives include the operation of temporary learning centres to reconstruction of damaged schools and educational facilities.
In his response to concerns from lawmakers in a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the Minister, also the government Spokesperson said that before the reconstruction of schools damaged by the floods, teaching-learning activities will be run through temporary centers, community-based education initiatives, and residential arrangements wherever it is necessary.
He added that the Ministry of Education and Sports has launched the ‘Assured Future Scholarship Scheme’ in partnership with the private sector targeting children who lost their parents to the floods.
“No situation will be allowed to arise that would deprive children of learning opportunities,” he reiterated.
According to the Minister, the government has planned to implement the school-rebuilding efforts based on the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report. He added that children in government-run holding centres have been provided with healthcare and psychosocial counselling facilities, as well as learning activities.
Talking about challenges for technical education, he said technical education seats at some schools have not been fully reserved and it is due to less concerns of guardians and students in the technical education. He pledged policy and legal reformative steps in technical education.
He further said that continued assessment system has been implemented for education up to Grade 5, preparations are underway for mergers of schools and adjustment of teachers’ quota and the process has been initiated to amend the law regarding the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT).
The Minister went on to say that policy dialogues were held across all seven provinces to collect stakeholders input in the course of preparation of the Education Bill. The works are in progress to draft and enact an Education Act based on the submissions from the stakeholders concerned, finding solution long-standing issues in school education.
Minister Pokharel made it clear that while the recruitment of permanent teachers falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, responsibilities such as contract appointments, transfers, and the adjustment of teachers’ quota fall under local governments.
The government has announced plans to map the overall status of schools during the current fiscal year. Based on data from the mapping, the government will undertake infrastructure development and the adjustment of teachers’ quota.
Stating that government has increased the remuneration of Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers, school support staff, and school assistants by an additional Rs 5,000, he pledged that teachers’ demands would be addressed gradually, taking into account the country’s economic capacity.
Meanwhile, he said that high-level initiatives from the government level are underway to have the suspension of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) lifted.
FIFA suspended ANFA indefinitely on June 24, 2026, and that high-level efforts were being made to create an atmosphere for getting the FIFA action withdrawn.
The Minister also apprised the House that the government has decided to provide monetary assistance for the medical treatment of Ashish Rai, who was injured during a Nepal-China friendly match and is undergoing treatment in Thailand. The assistance will be provided within the limits of the budget approved by the National Sports Council. (RSS)
-TRN Online