KATHMANDU, July 14

The government has allocated Rs 98.64 billion for the education sector for the fiscal year 2015-16, with priority in academic research, teachers’ management and development of Information and Communication Technology.

The education budget this year is around 12 per cent of the national budget.

Minister for Finance Ram Sharan Mahat today announced annual budget fiscal year 2015-16.

Minister Mahat said the government has allocated Rs 8.7 billion for University Grants Commission to improve quality of higher education and development of infrastructure of universities.

The government has envisioned at least one residential school in each development region with complete facility and trained teachers. “Well-equipped schools of the capital and other cities will be encouraged if they wish to run and manage schools in the rural parts of the country,” said Mahat.

“Residential schools will be arranged for the girl students from the marginalised communities in the districts with low human development index and where girl students’ enrolment rate is low and where girl students’ dropout rate is high.”

Minister Mahat said the government would, as a pilot project, introduce teaching English, Mathematics and Science subjects through broadband internet in 100 schools in remote and rural areas.

Special provision of providing facilities as ensured in the Education Act for retirement of the temporary teachers who have been teaching in the government schools for more than five years has also been announced in the budget.

The government, said Minister Mahat, will adjust teacher-student ratio by reviewing teachers’ posts across the country and provision of transferring teachers from one school to another will be introduced.

In the fiscal budget, Minister Mahat has also assured to implement the recommendations of commissions to improve the quality of higher education.

Minister Mahat also announced that ‘Prime Minister Fellowship’ has been envisioned for students of Master’s level and PhD to conduct research and support and the government in the fields of agriculture, science and technology, environment, economy, disaster management, infrastructure development.

The government also plans to provide grants to youth researchers for research in science and technology through the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology.

Educationist Tirtha Khaniya said the budget allocated for higher education was appreciable and that other programmes and budget allocation too were commendable.

Nirendra Kunwar, president, Temporary Teachers Agitation Central Committee, said the special provision for temporary teachers’ retirement was what they were struggling for.