Education funding for Nepal's fiscal year 2082/83

Education funding for Nepal's fiscal year 2082/83

Nepal's Education Budget for the fiscal year 2082/83 is set to bring significant changes, focusing on quality, human capital development, and teacher deployment. The key initiatives aim to enhance educational quality, promote digital and STEM competencies, and foster inclusive education across the country.

A significant focus of the budget is on **Teacher Management and Deployment**. Community school teachers will be managed more effectively, and teacher quotas will be reviewed to ensure optimal distribution. Karnali province, for instance, is providing lump-sum grants to hire English, Math, and Science teachers in schools with high student-teacher ratios.

The budget also plans to establish **Model Schools** and **Residential Schools**. Bagmati Province, for example, is committing to modernising education quality under the theme "Teachers as Change Agents". Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces are initiating projects to develop one model secondary school per electoral constituency.

A strong push towards **Digital and STEM Education** is evident in the budget. Integrating information technology and digital learning programs, especially for SEE (Grade 10) students, is a key part of the strategy to enhance education quality and relevance. Provinces are prioritising STEM education and tech-friendly vocational programs to develop skills aligned with modern demands.

The budget also includes support for **Marginalized and Special Groups**. Access expansion for children from marginalised communities, as well as provisions to establish residential facilities for children with disabilities and orphans, are part of the plan to ensure inclusivity in education.

Other notable initiatives include the continuation of the free sanitary pad distribution program, benefiting 1.3 million female students, and the expansion of the mid-day meal program for students up to Grade 5, benefiting 2.8 million students.

The budget also addresses the shortage of skilled manpower by reviewing existing standards and increasing student quotas in fields like medicine, engineering, IT, and nursing. To develop a capable, entrepreneurial, and productive human capital base, the education system will be transformed to produce human resources required in various sectors, including public health.

A total of Rs. 211.17 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology for the fiscal year. The budget also includes provisions for the development of infrastructure in schools, technical institutions, and universities, such as the Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurvedic University and the Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology.

The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) will provide over 26,900 youths with training programs lasting more than six months. Schools will be re-mapped, and a policy to merge schools will be implemented. Merged schools will receive incentive grants.

To ensure uniform governance across universities, a comprehensive umbrella act will be formulated. One technical institute in each province will be selected and upgraded into a model school. Capital grants will be provided for infrastructure development in schools with a specific student population in Terai-Madhesh, hills, and mountains.

The budget also includes measures to improve school education, such as leveraging best management practices and establishing a teacher bank. Grants will be provided to universities based on student numbers, academic quality, and infrastructure needs. Scholarships will be provided to produce human resources required in the public health system.

In addition, the University Grants Commission will be restructured into a robust regulatory body. Policies will be introduced to attract foreign students to universities, with free visas provided for the duration of their academic calendar. Multiple-entry visas will be arranged for the guardians of international students.

The budget also aims to preserve and promote traditional learning systems such as Gurukul, Gumba, and Madarasa. Technical stream students from general schools will be allowed to use the infrastructure of such institutions for skill development.

In conclusion, the education reforms outlined in Nepal's 2082/83 budget are comprehensive and far-reaching, aiming to enhance human capital development, improve educational quality, and promote digital and STEM competencies, while ensuring inclusivity and preserving traditional learning systems. The budget reflects a commitment to transforming Nepal's education system and preparing its youth for the challenges of the 21st century.

[1] Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Education Budget 2082/83, 2025. [2] Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, National Educational Reform Programme, 2021.

1. The budget aims to manage teacher deployment more effectively, reviewing teacher quotas for optimal distribution.
2. Model schools and residential schools are planned to be established, with Bagmati Province modernising education under the theme "Teachers as Change Agents".
3. The budget emphasizes digital and STEM education, integrating technology for SEE students and prioritizing STEM education and tech-friendly vocational programs.
4. Support for marginalized and special groups includes expanding access for children from disadvantaged communities and establishing residential facilities for disabled and orphaned children.
5. To address the shortage of skilled manpower, the budget increases student quotas in fields like medicine, engineering, IT, and nursing.
6. Infrastructure development is included in the budget, with allocations for schools, technical institutions, and universities such as Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurvedic University.
7. The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) will provide training for over 26,900 youths, while schools will be re-mapped and merged, with incentives for merged schools.
8. To improve school education, best management practices will be leveraged, a teacher bank will be established, and grants will be provided to universities based on student numbers, academic quality, and infrastructure needs.
9. Scholarships will be offered to produce human resources required in the public health system, and the University Grants Commission will be restructured, with policies to attract foreign students and provide access to traditional learning systems like Gurukul, Gumba, and Madarasa.

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