Kathmandu, November 27

Education minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel today held separate meetings with Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae and Australian Ambassador to Nepal Glenn White to discuss bilateral educational issues.

During the meeting with Indian Ambassador Rae, Minister Pokharel talked about reconstruction efforts after the April 25 earthquake, scholarship for Nepali students, foreign schools in Nepal and verification of degrees awarded by such institutions, facilities to Indian teachers and the difficulties in daily teaching-learning activities due to the ongoing blockade at border checkpoints.

Education minister Pokharel also urged Rae to support his 18-point commitment released recently on bringing about reforms in the education sector. Pokharel and Rae also agreed to form a technical review committee to deal with bilateral educational issues.

Similarly, in a separate meeting with Australian Ambassador White, the duo discussed Australian support to reconstruction of earthquake damaged infrastructures, scholarships and problems faced by Nepali students in Australia.

White also sought the need for bringing about reforms in the education sector in line with the recently promulgated constitution. She said the Australian government was ready to increase scholarships for Nepali students and to coordinate in sorting out problems faced by Nepali students in Australia.